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No Longer Safe
She was your best friend. Now she’s your deadliest enemy – and there’s nowhere to run…
When Alice receives an invitation from Karen, her charismatic University friend, to stay in a remote cottage in Scotland, she can’t wait to rekindle their lost friendship. But two more former students arrive – never friends of Alice’s – and as the atmosphere chills, Karen isn’t the warm-hearted soulmate Alice remembers. Barely is the reunion underway before someone is dead and the fragile gathering is pushed to breaking point.
As the snow cuts them off from civilisation and accusations fly, Alice finds herself a pawn, sinking deeper into a deadly game she can’t escape.
NO LONGER SAFE is a chilling Psychological Thriller that delivers a delicious sting in the tail.
When Alice receives an invitation from Karen, her charismatic University friend, to stay in a remote cottage in Scotland, she can’t wait to rekindle their lost friendship. But two more former students arrive – never friends of Alice’s – and as the atmosphere chills, Karen isn’t the warm-hearted soulmate Alice remembers. Barely is the reunion underway before someone is dead and the fragile gathering is pushed to breaking point.
As the snow cuts them off from civilisation and accusations fly, Alice finds herself a pawn, sinking deeper into a deadly game she can’t escape.
NO LONGER SAFE is a chilling Psychological Thriller that delivers a delicious sting in the tail.
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First published February 4, 2016
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About the author
A.J. Waines
11 books482 followersAJ Waines writes Psychological Thrillers with *over half-a-million* copies sold worldwide. She's a #1 International Bestselling Author: GIRL ON A TRAIN topped the full UK and Australian Kindle Charts in 2015 & 2016.
Follow on Facebook, Instagram or AJ's Blog
All her books can be read in any order:
The Evil Beneath, Girl on a Train, Dark Place to Hide, No Longer Safe, Inside the Whispers, Lost in the Lake, Don't you Dare, Perfect Bones, Enemy at the Window, Cut you Dead Find them all at: AJ Waines' Books
Formerly a Psychotherapist for fifteen years, she has worked with ex-offenders from high-security institutions, giving her a rare insight into abnormal psychology. She is fascinated by secrets and lies, crimes of passion, devious motives and anything hidden under floorboards.
*A Kindle (KDP) TOP 10 'MOST-READ AUTHOR' in UK (2016)*
AJ has book deals in UK, France, Germany, Norway, Hungary, Czech Republic and Canada (audiobooks). She lives in Hampshire, UK, with her husband.
Follow on Facebook, Instagram or AJ's Blog
All her books can be read in any order:
The Evil Beneath, Girl on a Train, Dark Place to Hide, No Longer Safe, Inside the Whispers, Lost in the Lake, Don't you Dare, Perfect Bones, Enemy at the Window, Cut you Dead Find them all at: AJ Waines' Books
Formerly a Psychotherapist for fifteen years, she has worked with ex-offenders from high-security institutions, giving her a rare insight into abnormal psychology. She is fascinated by secrets and lies, crimes of passion, devious motives and anything hidden under floorboards.
*A Kindle (KDP) TOP 10 'MOST-READ AUTHOR' in UK (2016)*
AJ has book deals in UK, France, Germany, Norway, Hungary, Czech Republic and Canada (audiobooks). She lives in Hampshire, UK, with her husband.
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February 10, 2017
NO LONGER SAFE by A. J. Waines is her fourth novel, a disturbing psychological thriller that will resonate in your mind for many days to come. You will not forget this novel! It is that good.
The author, A. J. Waines, whose background as a former Psychotherapist for fifteen years, has worked with ex-offenders from high-security institutions, giving her exposure and expertise into the field of abnormal psychology. And through this background she is able to tap into this field, and use it to enrich her novels and expand the depth of her characters.
The novel takes place in the Highlands in Scotland in a remote cottage in the winter, and the weather plays an important part in the story for setting the stage for what was going to happen. The POV is told through alternating two characters, Alice Flemming and Karen Morley, two university friends meeting up after six years.
“She was your best friend. Now she’s your deadliest enemy – and there’s nowhere to run…”
When Alice receives an invitation from Karen, her best University friend, to stay two weeks in a remote cottage in Scotland, she can’t believe it. Talking to Karen had always seemed natural, and made her feel safe. Alice couldn’t wait to renew their lost friendship. But when Alice travels from her London home to Scotland…she is surprised to see that it is not just the two of them…two more students arrive, that Alice doesn’t know.
“Alice is so innocent and unaware. She has no idea why she’s here. Quite sad, to be honest-she’s clearly missed me heaps and is so keen and excited about being invited.”
The atmosphere is chilling, both inside the cottage and outside. Four people who are supposed to be friends, are trapped in a remote isolated cottage, with no comforts of home…and everything breaks down.
Karen is not the person that Alice remembers. Six years has changed everyone!
Soon after, someone is found dead in the cottage. How will they react to this discovery? What will they do?
And Alice finds herself a pawn, drawn into some kind of conspiracy, a web of lies and deceit, a deadly game she must escape.
WHY WAS ALICE INVITED UP TO THE COTTAGE?
This is a brilliant psychological thriller, where both the extreme remote setting and lies and deceit create a toxic combination, where no one is NO LONGER SAFE.
I would like to thank A. J. Waines for providing me with a copy of NO LONGER SAFE.
The author, A. J. Waines, whose background as a former Psychotherapist for fifteen years, has worked with ex-offenders from high-security institutions, giving her exposure and expertise into the field of abnormal psychology. And through this background she is able to tap into this field, and use it to enrich her novels and expand the depth of her characters.
The novel takes place in the Highlands in Scotland in a remote cottage in the winter, and the weather plays an important part in the story for setting the stage for what was going to happen. The POV is told through alternating two characters, Alice Flemming and Karen Morley, two university friends meeting up after six years.
“She was your best friend. Now she’s your deadliest enemy – and there’s nowhere to run…”
When Alice receives an invitation from Karen, her best University friend, to stay two weeks in a remote cottage in Scotland, she can’t believe it. Talking to Karen had always seemed natural, and made her feel safe. Alice couldn’t wait to renew their lost friendship. But when Alice travels from her London home to Scotland…she is surprised to see that it is not just the two of them…two more students arrive, that Alice doesn’t know.
“Alice is so innocent and unaware. She has no idea why she’s here. Quite sad, to be honest-she’s clearly missed me heaps and is so keen and excited about being invited.”
The atmosphere is chilling, both inside the cottage and outside. Four people who are supposed to be friends, are trapped in a remote isolated cottage, with no comforts of home…and everything breaks down.
Karen is not the person that Alice remembers. Six years has changed everyone!
Soon after, someone is found dead in the cottage. How will they react to this discovery? What will they do?
And Alice finds herself a pawn, drawn into some kind of conspiracy, a web of lies and deceit, a deadly game she must escape.
WHY WAS ALICE INVITED UP TO THE COTTAGE?
This is a brilliant psychological thriller, where both the extreme remote setting and lies and deceit create a toxic combination, where no one is NO LONGER SAFE.
I would like to thank A. J. Waines for providing me with a copy of NO LONGER SAFE.
February 8, 2016
Wow this is my kind of book, really fast paced that took all of my attention.
Alice has not seen her friend Karen for 6 years, since they were at university together. Alice idolised Karen and was in total awe of her, wanting to be just like her. Out of the blue Alice receives an invitation from Karen and is invited to spend two weeks in a remote and isolated cabin with her. She is incredibly excited as she thinks it will be like old times, sharing secrets and starting their friendship all over again. Her feelings towards Karen border on obsession. Alice is not aware that Karen has invited two other friends to stay as well and when she finds out she becomes very uncomfortable in their presence. Alice also finds out that Karen is not the same girl she new, she can be rude, cruel and has her own hidden secrets. Alice finds this very difficult to deal with.
A murder occurs and this sets off other events and several OMG moments. The end what can I say? Definitely not at all what I expected, the end was so intense that a re read was necessary. Another book that the end will linger in your mind.
Alice has not seen her friend Karen for 6 years, since they were at university together. Alice idolised Karen and was in total awe of her, wanting to be just like her. Out of the blue Alice receives an invitation from Karen and is invited to spend two weeks in a remote and isolated cabin with her. She is incredibly excited as she thinks it will be like old times, sharing secrets and starting their friendship all over again. Her feelings towards Karen border on obsession. Alice is not aware that Karen has invited two other friends to stay as well and when she finds out she becomes very uncomfortable in their presence. Alice also finds out that Karen is not the same girl she new, she can be rude, cruel and has her own hidden secrets. Alice finds this very difficult to deal with.
A murder occurs and this sets off other events and several OMG moments. The end what can I say? Definitely not at all what I expected, the end was so intense that a re read was necessary. Another book that the end will linger in your mind.
May 4, 2021
I was hooked from page 1,although at first it seemed to be a little slower than the other 5 books I have read by this author. It quickly Not sure how A.J. Waines does it, but she writes In a lot of detail, but it is easy to follow and quick to read.
Just when you think you have decided who is good and who is bad your perceptions are turned on the head. And a few chapters later you query your interpretation. As for the ending, well didn't see that coming.
Again 5 stars are not really enough for this.
I still have 2 of her books on my TBR pile that I am keeping for when I next need a guaranteed winner. You cannot lose with this author. Just hope there are more to come.
Just when you think you have decided who is good and who is bad your perceptions are turned on the head. And a few chapters later you query your interpretation. As for the ending, well didn't see that coming.
Again 5 stars are not really enough for this.
I still have 2 of her books on my TBR pile that I am keeping for when I next need a guaranteed winner. You cannot lose with this author. Just hope there are more to come.
January 9, 2016
A. J Waines has fast tracked into my top 20 Psychological/crime thrillers list.
Her writing flows with ease and steady pace with pitch and power that sometimes relaxes and reaches a climax.
Years ago at Uni, Karen took Alice under her wing, but as a person feeling sorry for someone not in a protective nature. Because Alice was disadvantaged.
Alice was seen as weak, easy to manipulate and and 'weird' after all, her Father was an undertaker right.
She also had a stutter and was timid.
Karen had another close friend Jodie, and Jodie had a boyfriend.
This journey starts where Karen contacts Alice to meet up and catch up on the 6 years they haven't been in contact. Meet and stay at a cottage in the Highlands of Scotland.
She learns that Karen now has a daughter who had health problems.
Its winter time
No heating
No real close community
And its snowing, full of snow. This impacts on the story a lot.
Unbeknown to Alice Jodie and Mark turn up.
Mark turns out to be some dope, I really could have slapped him.
Alice however, she thought it was just going to be the three of them, Karen, her daughter and her and they could catch up on what each of them been doing in the past 6 years.
The thing is, Jodie needs a wake up call in my opinion.
Karen has something to hide.
Alice is not the girl they once thought her to be.
This story that was woven had me on the edge many times. I sort of knew, I sort of didn't, I thought someone in the book was going to turn out to be something he appeared not to be.....but he didn't.
I don't know how this authors does it, I don't know where she dreams up her stories, but she really does entertain me for many hours. Trouble is, once I start reading her books, I can't for the life of me put it down. I have to continue reading until the end because I can't sleep, I can't rest.
Reading a book for me is like pausing a good film halfway through, I just can't do it.
Well done A. J Waines, you did the impossible.....again.
You really draw on your knowledge and your experience.
I cannot fail to give 5 stars.
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August 16, 2019
A suspenseful albeit far-fetched psychological thriller, with an intriguing beginning, but confusing and disappointing ending.
When Alice is invited by Karen, her former classmate, to spend some time together in a cottage in Scotland, she accepts without hesitation.
But as soon as she arrives, she realizes that all is not as it seems and the friend she once knew and looked up to, is a changed person.
When Alice is invited by Karen, her former classmate, to spend some time together in a cottage in Scotland, she accepts without hesitation.
But as soon as she arrives, she realizes that all is not as it seems and the friend she once knew and looked up to, is a changed person.
September 21, 2016
Safe to say I’m completely lost!! In a good way though! I literally have no idea what happened at the end of the book!
I haven’t read any of Alison’s other books, but it’s safe to say I will be adding them to my TBR pile in the future.
Waines has a great writing style, very detailed but at the same time it’s easy to follow. I had no clue what to expect when I started reading No Longer Safe, but I really enjoyed the book.
No Longer Safe is a novel about rekindled friendship, betrayal and so much more. The book starts of slow, with Waines revealing fragments of the characters lives as we meet them. Alice and Karen are the two main characters, and both women evoked different reactions in me the further into the book I got. I went from sympathy to anger on more than one occasion during the course of the story.
As usual, no big plot details and definitely no spoilers. The synopsis perfectly sums up the book!
I really enjoyed reading No Longer Safe! It was cleverly plotted, and it flowed easily. The characters are well drawn, and the twist, well twist is an understatement!
I would highly recommend this psychological thriller. It is still messing with my mind!
I haven’t read any of Alison’s other books, but it’s safe to say I will be adding them to my TBR pile in the future.
Waines has a great writing style, very detailed but at the same time it’s easy to follow. I had no clue what to expect when I started reading No Longer Safe, but I really enjoyed the book.
No Longer Safe is a novel about rekindled friendship, betrayal and so much more. The book starts of slow, with Waines revealing fragments of the characters lives as we meet them. Alice and Karen are the two main characters, and both women evoked different reactions in me the further into the book I got. I went from sympathy to anger on more than one occasion during the course of the story.
As usual, no big plot details and definitely no spoilers. The synopsis perfectly sums up the book!
I really enjoyed reading No Longer Safe! It was cleverly plotted, and it flowed easily. The characters are well drawn, and the twist, well twist is an understatement!
I would highly recommend this psychological thriller. It is still messing with my mind!
May 23, 2016
No Longer Safe by A J Waines is a brilliantly written psychological thriller that had my knickers twisting & turning at every turn i loved this book & plan to read more Miss Waines is an accomplished author who can grab your imagination.
Alice & Karen were friends at uni years ago she wanted to be like Karen in every way but they were complete opposites then all of a sudden Alice gets a letter from Karen inviting her to a cottage for a holiday, Alice is excited she will see her best buddy again, but it doesn't turn out that way.
Karen invites 3 other friends that were at the same uni but Alice is not that happy about but she thinks hey i'll be okay until Charlie Wishart ends up dead by being thrown out of a boat Karen has a child Melanie who has been in & out of hospital all her young life , Karen seems the perfect mother until a young baby goes missing Brodie Holland .
Alice's world turns out like a trainwreck who can she trust & why has Karen changed or is it all in her head!!
She meets Stuart a uni professor & thinks she has found love but he warns her to stay away from Karen stuart talks about his brother as he hasn't seen him for a while Alice gets the creeps as she knew a Charlie little did she know that Charlie was Stuart Wisharts brother.
From this point on more murders happen & when you think you have worked everything out Dang something else pops out to kick you .
A fabulous twisted Psychological thriller that will keep you enthralled from the very first page.
Alice & Karen were friends at uni years ago she wanted to be like Karen in every way but they were complete opposites then all of a sudden Alice gets a letter from Karen inviting her to a cottage for a holiday, Alice is excited she will see her best buddy again, but it doesn't turn out that way.
Karen invites 3 other friends that were at the same uni but Alice is not that happy about but she thinks hey i'll be okay until Charlie Wishart ends up dead by being thrown out of a boat Karen has a child Melanie who has been in & out of hospital all her young life , Karen seems the perfect mother until a young baby goes missing Brodie Holland .
Alice's world turns out like a trainwreck who can she trust & why has Karen changed or is it all in her head!!
She meets Stuart a uni professor & thinks she has found love but he warns her to stay away from Karen stuart talks about his brother as he hasn't seen him for a while Alice gets the creeps as she knew a Charlie little did she know that Charlie was Stuart Wisharts brother.
From this point on more murders happen & when you think you have worked everything out Dang something else pops out to kick you .
A fabulous twisted Psychological thriller that will keep you enthralled from the very first page.
December 29, 2015
No Longer Safe by A.J. Waines is a deep and chilling Psychological Thriller that really delivers!
Set in a remote cottage in Scotland, four friends come together to renew their friendship, and Alice discovers that her dear friend Karen isn't the kindly person she thought she knew.
With tight and tense characters, No Longer Safe is a "Hair Standing on End" thriller that pushes the boundaries of deception and fear!
Set in a remote cottage in Scotland, four friends come together to renew their friendship, and Alice discovers that her dear friend Karen isn't the kindly person she thought she knew.
With tight and tense characters, No Longer Safe is a "Hair Standing on End" thriller that pushes the boundaries of deception and fear!
February 16, 2016
I am really glad I chose this as my Kindle Lending Library read for this month. It is a dark tense read that packs one heck of a lot of story into it. Alice Flemming has been invited to Scotland for a two week holiday by Karen Morley, who was her best friend at University although they lost touch after graduating. This should be a chance for them to reconnect as well as for Alice to meet Karen’s baby daughter Mel. That is the idea anyway, but things soon take a very macabre turn. It is a story that oozes tension and suspicion amongst a group of people who, I have to say, are not really very likeable at all. As you are reading you just get that feeling that you shouldn’t trust a single one of them. Despite that though, the story really just drew me in completely and I found it quite compelling.
It is a very complex plot indeed with an incredible amount of twists, turns and red herrings in it that keep on coming right to the very end which really left me quite shocked. There is so much packed into this read that I did feel quite shell shocked at the end as I tried to gather my thoughts together. At one point in the read I did find myself wondering whether or not the author had written herself into a hole, as I couldn’t possibly see how certain elements of it were going to be drawn together at the end. If anything, that is my only complaint – there is so much that needed to be pulled together that I just felt overwhelmed. At the end of the day it is an over the top story, one that just manages to stay on the right side of the “unbelievable” line and if you like that type of plot then this book should suit you down to the ground.
It is a very complex plot indeed with an incredible amount of twists, turns and red herrings in it that keep on coming right to the very end which really left me quite shocked. There is so much packed into this read that I did feel quite shell shocked at the end as I tried to gather my thoughts together. At one point in the read I did find myself wondering whether or not the author had written herself into a hole, as I couldn’t possibly see how certain elements of it were going to be drawn together at the end. If anything, that is my only complaint – there is so much that needed to be pulled together that I just felt overwhelmed. At the end of the day it is an over the top story, one that just manages to stay on the right side of the “unbelievable” line and if you like that type of plot then this book should suit you down to the ground.
Read
March 28, 2016
No Longer Safe sold over 30,000 copies in 12 countries during the first month on sale
No Longer Safe – The Making of the Book
AJ Waines in conversation with book-lover Steve Whellan about her fourth novel, No Longer Safe.
Where did the inspiration for No Longer Safe come from?
I loved the idea of getting four people who appear to be friends, to meet up after a long break, but who actually create a toxic mix when they are left together. The circumstances of the remote location, making the group largely cut-off from civilisation and brewing in their own company gives a volatile ‘hotbed’ feel to the book. With lies, pretence, secrets and ulterior motives, I wanted to create a sense that anything could happen... and it does… and where the worst side of people’s personalities would start to come out.
The weather plays a central role in No Longer Safe. Have you been to the Highlands in the snow?
Yes, I once spent a week’s family holiday in a log cabin near Fort William, when I was about seventeen. I wanted to write about how the snow changes everything – the sounds, the colours, the smells, the way you approach the outdoors. Growing up in the north (Cleveland), we got a lot of snow in the winter and I hated having to walk our dog (a burly German Shepherd kept on the lead) over rutted pavements that had completely iced over, where every step was treacherous. Snow and ice comes in many forms and is both picturesque and brutal. It’s inviting and it can also trap you. I wanted the story to convey some of these extremes at the cottage: the beauty of fresh snow outside and the emerging hostility inside.
The story is based around university friends meeting up for a reunion? Is it based on fact, at all?
There are a few glimmers of fact, but about the places where the students lived rather than the people themselves. Alice’s introduction to new friends by venturing into a different kitchen in the campus block happened to me in exactly the same way, when I first went to University in Lancaster. In the second year, I used to stay over with my boyfriend, who lived in the most appalling shared house – I’m sure it should have been condemned. His bedroom was tiny and like a kind of basic ‘lean-to’ with no heating and slugs used to come in through gaps in the floor. My husband also talks about sharing a house where you could see one of the lad’s bedrooms from a big hole in the bathroom above. Just gross. This clearly made an impact on me!
What success have you had since changing careers from psychotherapist to fiction writer?
I was looking for a career shift, but I didn’t ever dare it might go as well as it has. I have to admit it’s been a real roller-coaster, though. I’ve had plenty of rejections and heartache – getting dropped by my first agent was dreadful, but then I’ve had great luck, too. Essentially, I discovered a passion for writing that I never really knew was there and I’m able to carry on doing it, which is the greatest gift of all. This year, I’ve earned more than I ever have in my life. I’m really grateful for the support of some key special people – they know who they are! I’ve now got a great team around me.
AJ Waines author of No 1 Bestseller, Girl on a Train
No Longer Safe – The Making of the Book
AJ Waines in conversation with book-lover Steve Whellan about her fourth novel, No Longer Safe.
Where did the inspiration for No Longer Safe come from?
I loved the idea of getting four people who appear to be friends, to meet up after a long break, but who actually create a toxic mix when they are left together. The circumstances of the remote location, making the group largely cut-off from civilisation and brewing in their own company gives a volatile ‘hotbed’ feel to the book. With lies, pretence, secrets and ulterior motives, I wanted to create a sense that anything could happen... and it does… and where the worst side of people’s personalities would start to come out.
The weather plays a central role in No Longer Safe. Have you been to the Highlands in the snow?
Yes, I once spent a week’s family holiday in a log cabin near Fort William, when I was about seventeen. I wanted to write about how the snow changes everything – the sounds, the colours, the smells, the way you approach the outdoors. Growing up in the north (Cleveland), we got a lot of snow in the winter and I hated having to walk our dog (a burly German Shepherd kept on the lead) over rutted pavements that had completely iced over, where every step was treacherous. Snow and ice comes in many forms and is both picturesque and brutal. It’s inviting and it can also trap you. I wanted the story to convey some of these extremes at the cottage: the beauty of fresh snow outside and the emerging hostility inside.
The story is based around university friends meeting up for a reunion? Is it based on fact, at all?
There are a few glimmers of fact, but about the places where the students lived rather than the people themselves. Alice’s introduction to new friends by venturing into a different kitchen in the campus block happened to me in exactly the same way, when I first went to University in Lancaster. In the second year, I used to stay over with my boyfriend, who lived in the most appalling shared house – I’m sure it should have been condemned. His bedroom was tiny and like a kind of basic ‘lean-to’ with no heating and slugs used to come in through gaps in the floor. My husband also talks about sharing a house where you could see one of the lad’s bedrooms from a big hole in the bathroom above. Just gross. This clearly made an impact on me!
What success have you had since changing careers from psychotherapist to fiction writer?
I was looking for a career shift, but I didn’t ever dare it might go as well as it has. I have to admit it’s been a real roller-coaster, though. I’ve had plenty of rejections and heartache – getting dropped by my first agent was dreadful, but then I’ve had great luck, too. Essentially, I discovered a passion for writing that I never really knew was there and I’m able to carry on doing it, which is the greatest gift of all. This year, I’ve earned more than I ever have in my life. I’m really grateful for the support of some key special people – they know who they are! I’ve now got a great team around me.
AJ Waines author of No 1 Bestseller, Girl on a Train
February 15, 2016
I recieved a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Ok bookjunkies...picture yourself walking..no strutting...down the street...full of confidence~ you know where you are going, arms swinging..because well...that's how you roll. Then, out of nowhere, a crack appears in the road that stops you in your tracks....a huge crevass forms and you find yourself teetering on the edge of the abyss...mouth open, heart racing, fear pulsing through your veins...thinking "What the HELL just happened?!?" ....well folks, that is THIS book!!
A.J. Waines left me questioning everything I had just read when I finished this book. It was a mind-blowing, off-the-scale read for me which left me in pure and utter confusion for days. And not in the bad sense either. I was walking around, shaking my head thinking What-The-Frig? Did that really happen?! Pure literary genius!
The moment I started reading this book, my curiosity was piqued. Who is Alice? Karen? Mark and Jodie? What is the relevance of baby Mel? Why have they all been brought together? The suspense was a slow build up rather than quick, sharp rounds...and that is what stood out for me most.
Despite the even pace, I found I could not put this book down...each page left me wanting more and there was a constant nagging feeling that I would be reaching some great, big OMG moment ~ is it now?...Nope...what about now?....furiously turning the pages (ok-I have a kindle so I was clicking a button...but you get my meaning!) waiting to be smacked in the face with a big reveal. I was certainly not disappointed by the fact that it came towards the end...instead, that is what moved this book from what I thought would be a 4⭐️ to a resounding 5⭐️ review!
In terms of the characters, I was instantly drawn to Alice. It was clear that she had grown from a vulnerable and easily led individual, to a confident young women...still all to eager to please. Karen was someone I actually disliked from the get go. There was just "something" about her and baby Mel that did not sit well with me....Jodie and Mark...didn't really get them...I could see their purpose, but the story would have remained much the same whether they appeared in the book or not...ok, that was a bit harsh...I suppose they just annoyed me! Stuart also raised my eye-brows as he was one of those characters where you are not sure which side he was on...and I am not telling either!
But holy-bloody-hell...the ending...WTF WTF WTF!!! I have only read a few books which left me absolutely gob-smacked at the end....this being one of them. A.J. Waines smacked me upside the head (in the literal sense of course or else I would have pressed charges...lol) and seriously played the ultimate mind game on me! You HAVE to read this book!
So there it is bookjunkies...for a seriously suspenseful, mind-altering, psychologically superb -I -sh*t you not- read, grab yourself a copy of this book and join me in the readers asylum as I am still having therapy! The title says it all...you will be #NoLongerSafe after reading this book!
Ok bookjunkies...picture yourself walking..no strutting...down the street...full of confidence~ you know where you are going, arms swinging..because well...that's how you roll. Then, out of nowhere, a crack appears in the road that stops you in your tracks....a huge crevass forms and you find yourself teetering on the edge of the abyss...mouth open, heart racing, fear pulsing through your veins...thinking "What the HELL just happened?!?" ....well folks, that is THIS book!!
A.J. Waines left me questioning everything I had just read when I finished this book. It was a mind-blowing, off-the-scale read for me which left me in pure and utter confusion for days. And not in the bad sense either. I was walking around, shaking my head thinking What-The-Frig? Did that really happen?! Pure literary genius!
The moment I started reading this book, my curiosity was piqued. Who is Alice? Karen? Mark and Jodie? What is the relevance of baby Mel? Why have they all been brought together? The suspense was a slow build up rather than quick, sharp rounds...and that is what stood out for me most.
Despite the even pace, I found I could not put this book down...each page left me wanting more and there was a constant nagging feeling that I would be reaching some great, big OMG moment ~ is it now?...Nope...what about now?....furiously turning the pages (ok-I have a kindle so I was clicking a button...but you get my meaning!) waiting to be smacked in the face with a big reveal. I was certainly not disappointed by the fact that it came towards the end...instead, that is what moved this book from what I thought would be a 4⭐️ to a resounding 5⭐️ review!
In terms of the characters, I was instantly drawn to Alice. It was clear that she had grown from a vulnerable and easily led individual, to a confident young women...still all to eager to please. Karen was someone I actually disliked from the get go. There was just "something" about her and baby Mel that did not sit well with me....Jodie and Mark...didn't really get them...I could see their purpose, but the story would have remained much the same whether they appeared in the book or not...ok, that was a bit harsh...I suppose they just annoyed me! Stuart also raised my eye-brows as he was one of those characters where you are not sure which side he was on...and I am not telling either!
But holy-bloody-hell...the ending...WTF WTF WTF!!! I have only read a few books which left me absolutely gob-smacked at the end....this being one of them. A.J. Waines smacked me upside the head (in the literal sense of course or else I would have pressed charges...lol) and seriously played the ultimate mind game on me! You HAVE to read this book!
So there it is bookjunkies...for a seriously suspenseful, mind-altering, psychologically superb -I -sh*t you not- read, grab yourself a copy of this book and join me in the readers asylum as I am still having therapy! The title says it all...you will be #NoLongerSafe after reading this book!
February 4, 2016
Originally posted on This Chick Reads
*Copy provided by author in exchange for an honest review*
Actual rating 4.5/5
'No Longer Safe' is A. J. Waines' fourth novel but the first by her I've read. However, after reading it I can promise it won't be my last one and I'll make sure I find the time to go through her backlog.
Not having read anything by A. J., I really didn't have any expectations from 'No Longer Safe'. I read the blurb which sounded interesting, found the cover a bit creepy and chilling and that's about it. That was more than enough to make me want to read it. Half way through, and loads of jaw dropping moments later, I decided to go through other readers' reviews, and found out A. J. used to work as a Psychiatrist, dealing with all sorts of cases, and it was then that I understood where she got her inspiration and zest for psychological thrillers. I found it really fascinating the way she goes into exploring human nature, bringing her characters in such weird situations and making everything sound so real and authentic as it could happen to all of us.
After years of not having heard anything from her best friend, Alice suddenly receives an invitation from Karen to spend some time in Scotland, maybe to catch up on their lives, maybe to share some big news... Alice is really not sure why is she sent this call for reunion all of a sudden, and she's not even sure if she wants to go in the first place. She's been working a lot on her fragile personality (which I won't go into details of explaining), however I will tell you Alice's changed after university and she's not sure her friendship with Karen will be the same after all these years of not seeing each other. She did try to keep in contact, but Karen somehow decided to stop calling, writing... and Alice doesn't know the reason for this, yet she's been thinking about her best friend a lot over the years, the reason for their sudden break up always a mystery to her. Well, seems now she finally has the chance to ask Karen why she decided to ditch their friendship, and maybe there are chances they could move on despite the time gap an catch up on everything they've missed on in their lives.
After debating if it's worth going back to Scotland and releasing the skeleton of the past, Alice packs up and is off on this trip not knowing what is awaiting for her. They don't say for no reason, some things should really stay buried in the past!
This is not the easiest book to review, as it's really hard to say anything without giving the plot away. However, I will tell you that it's full of unexpected twists that will keep you totally invested in the book. Told from different POVs (Karen and Alice) you get to see both of their sides to certain events and start digging into their relationship, peeling layer after layer till some shocking revelations. The writing style is brilliant and everything flows, past to present and POV switches are delivered with perfection. The only reason for me giving it 4.5/5 is the fact I didn't fall for Alice completely. I liked her, but there were situations when she seemed very contradictory, her feelings were making me confused and I just wanted to give her a good shake. But it was still a solid psychological thriller that kept me entertained and was so addictive, I read it cover to cover in just one day. I simply couldn't wait to find out the reasons for the sudden meeting, why Karen picked Scotland of all places, why was she MIA for so long...why, why, why? I got my answers at the end and I was really pleased with the ending.
Wrecked friendships, betrayal, chilling atmosphere - this book has it all! If you're into psychological thrillers that will keep you guessing till the very last page, look no further. This is definitely the book for you!
December 14, 2021
Psychological Suspense > Mystery
When Alice Fleming receives an invitation to join an old university friend, Karen Morley, on a two week vacation in Scotland she is happy that her old friend got in contact again. It has been six years since they left university and they have had no communication since. Alice accept the invitation but their reunion won't go quite as she hoped...
This book tried hard to be intiguing and mysterious but ended up being confusing and frustrating. The story is narrated mainly by Alice (27) and occasionally by her friend Karen. I find it dissatisfying when reader should root for the main characters and then it will end like this book...all for the sake of an unexpected twist?? Really?
The characters were one-dimensional, flat, pathetic, unreliable and unlikable and the storyline really made no sense. I couldn't find anyone to root for and perhaps that wasn't bad considering the ending
Its disappointing and maddening that female authors create this kind of horrible and stupid female leads!
From those "reunion-gone-wrong" plots, I enjoyed more In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware and The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley, It's Always the Husband by Michele Campbell.
When Alice Fleming receives an invitation to join an old university friend, Karen Morley, on a two week vacation in Scotland she is happy that her old friend got in contact again. It has been six years since they left university and they have had no communication since. Alice accept the invitation but their reunion won't go quite as she hoped...
This book tried hard to be intiguing and mysterious but ended up being confusing and frustrating. The story is narrated mainly by Alice (27) and occasionally by her friend Karen. I find it dissatisfying when reader should root for the main characters and then it will end like this book...all for the sake of an unexpected twist?? Really?
The characters were one-dimensional, flat, pathetic, unreliable and unlikable and the storyline really made no sense. I couldn't find anyone to root for and perhaps that wasn't bad considering the ending
Its disappointing and maddening that female authors create this kind of horrible and stupid female leads!
From those "reunion-gone-wrong" plots, I enjoyed more In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware and The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley, It's Always the Husband by Michele Campbell.
February 29, 2016
I've given this two stars instead of one because I read it all the way through , which I don't if I can't get along with the style of writing. That said, the characters were not pleasant, the plot was pointless and the dialogue from the villain revealed nothing and just grated on my nerves, as if written by a child. The ending was a major let down, appeared rushed, confusing and no point to any of the characters actions . As another reader said, many readers may have picked this up due to the reference to ' written by the author of A Girl on a Train - not the bestselling novel of a similar title. I wasn't fooled by that, but was fooled by the many positive reviews - I don't get it.
February 6, 2016
Erm....the last couple of chapters, WTF? Where did that come from?
Up to that point this book was a quick read that kept my interest with the mystery of a kidnapped child, an out of the blue old friend reunion in a remote cottage, bad weather and red herrings a plenty.
But that ending seemed so rushed and, to me anyway, so cobbled together that I actually laughed in puzzlement.
Up to that point this book was a quick read that kept my interest with the mystery of a kidnapped child, an out of the blue old friend reunion in a remote cottage, bad weather and red herrings a plenty.
But that ending seemed so rushed and, to me anyway, so cobbled together that I actually laughed in puzzlement.
April 17, 2016
This book started out reasonably well, although i didnt warm to any of the characters. But it quickly went downhill. Why the hell would you accept an invitation for a two week holiday in the middle of nowhere, with someone you hadnt seen or heard from for six years? Ok, Karen had kidnapped the baby, but what was the point of complicating the whole plot by inviting Alice in the first place? What was the point of inviting the weird Mark and Jodie, to further complicate things? Wouldnt anyone with half a brain be a bit suspicious that a baby had gone missing, and Karen kept her babys face covered with an oxygen mask, and its head covered with a weird cap? Crazy! As for the ending? Still dont understand what the hell happened. Words fail me!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 5, 2016
Firstly I have to thank my blogging buddettes, Noelle @crimebookjunkie and Kate @bibliophilebook club for bringing my attention to this book and author. Hearing them talking about it I knew I had to buy a copy for myself to see what all the fuss was about.
Boy am I glad I did!
No Longer Safe is a dark psychological thriller that had me well and truly hooked right from the start.
Alice is a character I warmed to straight away. She never really fitted in at university and was a bit of a timid mouse. When Alice meets Karen, who takes the timid Alice under her wing, Alice forms some what of an adoration for Karen. When leaving university, it isn't long before their friendship fizzles out due to the lack of communication from Karen, so when all of a sudden Alice gets an invite years later from Karen, the whole memories of the good friendship they had at uni come rushing back and she is only to happy to happy to accept.
When Alice turns up at the remote cottage there certainly seems to be surprises galore from this point and certainly not all of the good kind. Karen has certainly changed from when they were at uni but more worryingly for Karen, so has Alice.
The chapters soon start to flick between longer ones through Alice and short ones from Karen. It's obvious through Karen that she has got Alice to the cottage on false pretences. It leaves the reader wondering and questioning what Karen is up to.
The shocks and twists when they start coming are quite subtle to start with until WHAM! I couldn't believe what I was reading and had to go back and re read as thought I had read it wrong.
No Longer Safe is brilliantly twisted and one that seriously messes with your head. I actually got jaw ache from the amount of jaw dropping moments in this book. It seriously is that good. Without a doubt I will be purchasing more books by this author.
Boy am I glad I did!
No Longer Safe is a dark psychological thriller that had me well and truly hooked right from the start.
Alice is a character I warmed to straight away. She never really fitted in at university and was a bit of a timid mouse. When Alice meets Karen, who takes the timid Alice under her wing, Alice forms some what of an adoration for Karen. When leaving university, it isn't long before their friendship fizzles out due to the lack of communication from Karen, so when all of a sudden Alice gets an invite years later from Karen, the whole memories of the good friendship they had at uni come rushing back and she is only to happy to happy to accept.
When Alice turns up at the remote cottage there certainly seems to be surprises galore from this point and certainly not all of the good kind. Karen has certainly changed from when they were at uni but more worryingly for Karen, so has Alice.
The chapters soon start to flick between longer ones through Alice and short ones from Karen. It's obvious through Karen that she has got Alice to the cottage on false pretences. It leaves the reader wondering and questioning what Karen is up to.
The shocks and twists when they start coming are quite subtle to start with until WHAM! I couldn't believe what I was reading and had to go back and re read as thought I had read it wrong.
No Longer Safe is brilliantly twisted and one that seriously messes with your head. I actually got jaw ache from the amount of jaw dropping moments in this book. It seriously is that good. Without a doubt I will be purchasing more books by this author.
February 10, 2016
What???? Goodness me! Not only did I stay awake to the wee hours to finish this book but once I did finish, I couldn't sleep as this book just kept going around and around in my head!
Alice receives an invitation from an old uni friend, Karen, who asks her, out of the blue, to come to spend two weeks holiday with her. So Alice decides to go, even though she lost touch with Karen 7 years ago, as she has had a difficult few months and has fond memories of their friendship. However, once up in Scotland at a cottage cut off from people due to snow and no phones, things don't quite go to plan..
This is the isn't the first A J Waines book I have read, I did read a previous one but it hadn't inspired me to buy another. However the "power of the blogger" sprang into action after I was recommended very strongly to try this. And I am glad I did. The writing style was dark and detailed, it really brought the sense of danger to life. It twisted around so you really weren't sure what was happening, who was the "bad guy"and who was lying or indeed why! The suspense was built up gradually until the final few chapters when everything began to unravel in a real OMG moment. Fabulous mind messing!!
The cover of this book is brilliant btw as it says everything you need to know and draws you into this cold and creepy psychological suspense. Really enjoyed it but its still buzzing around my brain this morning. And that says it all really!
Alice receives an invitation from an old uni friend, Karen, who asks her, out of the blue, to come to spend two weeks holiday with her. So Alice decides to go, even though she lost touch with Karen 7 years ago, as she has had a difficult few months and has fond memories of their friendship. However, once up in Scotland at a cottage cut off from people due to snow and no phones, things don't quite go to plan..
This is the isn't the first A J Waines book I have read, I did read a previous one but it hadn't inspired me to buy another. However the "power of the blogger" sprang into action after I was recommended very strongly to try this. And I am glad I did. The writing style was dark and detailed, it really brought the sense of danger to life. It twisted around so you really weren't sure what was happening, who was the "bad guy"and who was lying or indeed why! The suspense was built up gradually until the final few chapters when everything began to unravel in a real OMG moment. Fabulous mind messing!!
The cover of this book is brilliant btw as it says everything you need to know and draws you into this cold and creepy psychological suspense. Really enjoyed it but its still buzzing around my brain this morning. And that says it all really!
February 4, 2016
A brilliant read that stayed with me long after I'd finished it.
The story has a superb mix of characters, the innocent and shy Alice amongst a host of unlikeable and nasty people she used to call friends when they were all at university together. Alice has grown up since her days at university and she begins to question what is going on. She suspects that there is a hidden agenda behind their little reunion and that she is being lied to. She becomes friends with a neighbour holidaying in a nearby cottage and together they try to unravel the mystery. However, the neighbour has his own mystery to solve which complicate matters even further.
With a killer living amongst them, a missing child to find and a dead man to hide it is difficult to know who to trust.
I couldn't put this book down. The characters are so well written. You know that they are up to no good but you can't quite figure it all out.
The story was suspenseful all the way through as you anticipated the bad things that could happen. I was not expecting it to end in the way it did and for me, it immediately solidified its 5 star must read status. It's early yet but I can confidently say 'No Longer Safe' will be featuring in my year end list Top Books of 2016!
I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.
The story has a superb mix of characters, the innocent and shy Alice amongst a host of unlikeable and nasty people she used to call friends when they were all at university together. Alice has grown up since her days at university and she begins to question what is going on. She suspects that there is a hidden agenda behind their little reunion and that she is being lied to. She becomes friends with a neighbour holidaying in a nearby cottage and together they try to unravel the mystery. However, the neighbour has his own mystery to solve which complicate matters even further.
With a killer living amongst them, a missing child to find and a dead man to hide it is difficult to know who to trust.
I couldn't put this book down. The characters are so well written. You know that they are up to no good but you can't quite figure it all out.
The story was suspenseful all the way through as you anticipated the bad things that could happen. I was not expecting it to end in the way it did and for me, it immediately solidified its 5 star must read status. It's early yet but I can confidently say 'No Longer Safe' will be featuring in my year end list Top Books of 2016!
I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.
July 22, 2016
Riveting, Dark, Twisted, Crazy, Mind Blowing, Intense, Chilling & Shocking! A Brilliant Read! I Loved It!
February 17, 2016
Great read
I have never read anything from this author before so wasn't sure what to expect, have to say I really enjoyed No Longer Safe, a great storyline.
I have never read anything from this author before so wasn't sure what to expect, have to say I really enjoyed No Longer Safe, a great storyline.
December 1, 2019
Excellent and compelling book until the very end, which I found a bit far-fetched. I still recommend, and I was gripped from beginning to end.
February 2, 2016
Alice Flemming, dependable and innocent with a prudish upbringing looks toward Karen, who is, popular and 'in with the crowd' and puts her on a pedestal.
Invited to a holiday cottage in Scotland to celebrate her forth coming birthday, Alice is delighted to hook up once more with her college friend. A bit put out that Karen has also invited Jodie and Mark, Alice tries to make the most of it and sets out to prove that now she is no longer the quiet prim little mouse she once was. She is now in charge of her life and knows without doubt where she is headed.
It is obvious from the start that Karen has something up her sleeve, with a missing child and a murder, Alice finds herself in a situation.
A.J.Waines novel is tense, I found myself questioning everyone. Can Stuart be trusted? Mark is a shit and Jodie, although she thinks she is a strong and independent woman relies on him more than she should.
A story that chills the reader and one I could not put down, it pushes the boundaries of what you might think friendship should go. I had no idea how this book would finish and even then it makes you question what you have just read.
Well written with a evenly paced and clever plot I was hooked. A group of toxic, mixed up characters, telling lies and with-holding secrets, it is dark, twisty and even creepy.
I loved it.
Invited to a holiday cottage in Scotland to celebrate her forth coming birthday, Alice is delighted to hook up once more with her college friend. A bit put out that Karen has also invited Jodie and Mark, Alice tries to make the most of it and sets out to prove that now she is no longer the quiet prim little mouse she once was. She is now in charge of her life and knows without doubt where she is headed.
It is obvious from the start that Karen has something up her sleeve, with a missing child and a murder, Alice finds herself in a situation.
A.J.Waines novel is tense, I found myself questioning everyone. Can Stuart be trusted? Mark is a shit and Jodie, although she thinks she is a strong and independent woman relies on him more than she should.
A story that chills the reader and one I could not put down, it pushes the boundaries of what you might think friendship should go. I had no idea how this book would finish and even then it makes you question what you have just read.
Well written with a evenly paced and clever plot I was hooked. A group of toxic, mixed up characters, telling lies and with-holding secrets, it is dark, twisty and even creepy.
I loved it.
September 22, 2016
w hat the heck just happened???? those last few chapters totally changed the whole story. hot mess of crazy characters!
February 26, 2016
Every now and again a book comes along that's impossible for me to resist. As a book blogger I am offered lots of books to read and although I find it very hard to say no thanks, that's what I do have to say fairly often as I just don't have enough time to read as much or as often as I'd love to.
But a while ago I was contacted and asked if I'd like to read a new twisty psychological thriller called No Longer Safe by A. J. Waines and as I have so many books waiting on my tbr I sadly declined but as this is a genre I love, I featured a short article by the author about writing psychological thrillers.
An e-copy of the book arrived nonetheless, just in case I'd like to read it for pleasure at some point, well, want to and be able to are often 2 very different things but I popped it on my kindle anyway.
Several books later and looking for my next read, I browsed through my unread titles, came across No Longer Safe and made the fatal mistake of thinking I'll just read the first page ... and I did and I got hooked right into this book and here we are several days later and I'm thinking WOW, that one sure packed a punch!
It's everything the perfect psychological thriller should be - several complex characters you get to know rather well yet don't really like as they are all deeply flawed. A compelling storyline with various plotlines and subtexts going on and a ruddy great shocker of a twist near the end!
We are introduced to the main narrator, Alice at the beginning when she receives out of the blue a completely unexpected invitation from an old college friend Karen to get together and spend some time together having a winter break at a rural holiday cottage in Scotland where Karen is helping her baby daughter Mel recuperate from a stay in hospital. She accepts despite a little trepidation not having seen Karen since their university days but she has had a lot going on and feels a break might be just whats needed to cheer her up. The story alternates between her voice and that of Karen, about whom it soon becomes obvious has some ulterior motives to her invitation.
On arriving Alice is disappointed to find the holiday cottage is a rather run down place and to her chagrin discovers that Karen has invited 2 more old college pals, whom Alice was rather glad to have seen the back of. Into the bleak location and chilly winter setting are woven parallel storylines, a child has gone missing nearby, something seems not quite right with the other 2 houseguests, snide Mark and needy Jodie, and a sudden death threatens to unhinge everything.
Despite the rather remote location there is still the opportunity to meet new folk and Alice finds a new friend Nina and even has the chance of romance when she meets an attractive and attentive stranger but she finds Karen changed and wary, Mark and Jodie as flaky as pastry and she doesn't know who she can trust, neither does the reader, you will be suspicious and disbelieving and not know who has done what and to whom and why but all will fall into place and I defy you not to gasp at the audacity of the outcomes.
Underneath everything is an air of mystery and deceit and lots of things that just aren't right, skewed motives, people being dishonest and hiding things and some really strange and unlikely decisions being made. This is exactly what makes a credible and exciting psychological chiller. If everyone was credible and likeable it wouldn't be half as exciting.
A brilliant read I wholeheartedly recommend if you like twisty tales with shocks throughout and chilling surprises towards the conclusion.
But a while ago I was contacted and asked if I'd like to read a new twisty psychological thriller called No Longer Safe by A. J. Waines and as I have so many books waiting on my tbr I sadly declined but as this is a genre I love, I featured a short article by the author about writing psychological thrillers.
An e-copy of the book arrived nonetheless, just in case I'd like to read it for pleasure at some point, well, want to and be able to are often 2 very different things but I popped it on my kindle anyway.
Several books later and looking for my next read, I browsed through my unread titles, came across No Longer Safe and made the fatal mistake of thinking I'll just read the first page ... and I did and I got hooked right into this book and here we are several days later and I'm thinking WOW, that one sure packed a punch!
It's everything the perfect psychological thriller should be - several complex characters you get to know rather well yet don't really like as they are all deeply flawed. A compelling storyline with various plotlines and subtexts going on and a ruddy great shocker of a twist near the end!
We are introduced to the main narrator, Alice at the beginning when she receives out of the blue a completely unexpected invitation from an old college friend Karen to get together and spend some time together having a winter break at a rural holiday cottage in Scotland where Karen is helping her baby daughter Mel recuperate from a stay in hospital. She accepts despite a little trepidation not having seen Karen since their university days but she has had a lot going on and feels a break might be just whats needed to cheer her up. The story alternates between her voice and that of Karen, about whom it soon becomes obvious has some ulterior motives to her invitation.
On arriving Alice is disappointed to find the holiday cottage is a rather run down place and to her chagrin discovers that Karen has invited 2 more old college pals, whom Alice was rather glad to have seen the back of. Into the bleak location and chilly winter setting are woven parallel storylines, a child has gone missing nearby, something seems not quite right with the other 2 houseguests, snide Mark and needy Jodie, and a sudden death threatens to unhinge everything.
Despite the rather remote location there is still the opportunity to meet new folk and Alice finds a new friend Nina and even has the chance of romance when she meets an attractive and attentive stranger but she finds Karen changed and wary, Mark and Jodie as flaky as pastry and she doesn't know who she can trust, neither does the reader, you will be suspicious and disbelieving and not know who has done what and to whom and why but all will fall into place and I defy you not to gasp at the audacity of the outcomes.
Underneath everything is an air of mystery and deceit and lots of things that just aren't right, skewed motives, people being dishonest and hiding things and some really strange and unlikely decisions being made. This is exactly what makes a credible and exciting psychological chiller. If everyone was credible and likeable it wouldn't be half as exciting.
A brilliant read I wholeheartedly recommend if you like twisty tales with shocks throughout and chilling surprises towards the conclusion.
July 25, 2016
Previously published on http://thebookreviewcafe.com
No Longer Safe is told through alternating the two main characters, Alice and Karen, they are old friends who first met at University. Six years later after losing touch, Alice receives an invite to join Karen in a remote cottage in Scotland, once there things soon take a sinister turn. I found No Longer Safe slow to start, but A J Waines spends this time building up the layers of the story, and it’s characters, which is not a bad thing, and in fact added to the anticipation of what was to come.
The characters are well developed and have real depth, and are complex to say the least. From the start I felt empathy for Alice who had spent years being ridiculed for being “different”, Alice see’s Karen as her saviour, who befriended her and made university life bearable. Now Alice has left the person she was at university behind her, and Karen soon makes it clear she doesn’t like the new Alice. Karen is less likeable, she is a master manipulator and a liar, she also has a dark and sinister past, she would prefer to keep hidden.
What starts out as a relatively straight forward holiday, soon becomes something much darker, as secrets begin to unravel strand by strand, setting of a chain of events that lead to most hideous crimes. Every time I thought I knew where the plot was going, I was proved wrong every damn time! It’s a cliche I know but No Longer Safe has so many twists and turns, it was hard to know where the plot was heading.
As I said previously it’s not fast paced by any means, but as the plot moved along, I became totally engrossed in No Longer Safe, A J Waines certainly knows how to build up the suspense, as she gradually drip feeds the reader, until the tension is almost unbearable. As for the ending OH MY GOD, I’m still struggling to get my head around it, it was the very last thing I expected to happen, and to say I was shocked was an understatement! In fact I went back and read it a second time just to make sure! No Longer Safe is a dark and disturbing psychological thriller that is superbly crafted. I intended to give it 4 stars as I like a psychological thriller to be faster paced, but the nail biting conclusion turned what was a good read into a “must” read.
No Longer Safe is told through alternating the two main characters, Alice and Karen, they are old friends who first met at University. Six years later after losing touch, Alice receives an invite to join Karen in a remote cottage in Scotland, once there things soon take a sinister turn. I found No Longer Safe slow to start, but A J Waines spends this time building up the layers of the story, and it’s characters, which is not a bad thing, and in fact added to the anticipation of what was to come.
The characters are well developed and have real depth, and are complex to say the least. From the start I felt empathy for Alice who had spent years being ridiculed for being “different”, Alice see’s Karen as her saviour, who befriended her and made university life bearable. Now Alice has left the person she was at university behind her, and Karen soon makes it clear she doesn’t like the new Alice. Karen is less likeable, she is a master manipulator and a liar, she also has a dark and sinister past, she would prefer to keep hidden.
What starts out as a relatively straight forward holiday, soon becomes something much darker, as secrets begin to unravel strand by strand, setting of a chain of events that lead to most hideous crimes. Every time I thought I knew where the plot was going, I was proved wrong every damn time! It’s a cliche I know but No Longer Safe has so many twists and turns, it was hard to know where the plot was heading.
As I said previously it’s not fast paced by any means, but as the plot moved along, I became totally engrossed in No Longer Safe, A J Waines certainly knows how to build up the suspense, as she gradually drip feeds the reader, until the tension is almost unbearable. As for the ending OH MY GOD, I’m still struggling to get my head around it, it was the very last thing I expected to happen, and to say I was shocked was an understatement! In fact I went back and read it a second time just to make sure! No Longer Safe is a dark and disturbing psychological thriller that is superbly crafted. I intended to give it 4 stars as I like a psychological thriller to be faster paced, but the nail biting conclusion turned what was a good read into a “must” read.
February 20, 2016
Hooked from the first page,friends from uni who haven't seen each other in years and out of the blue gets an invite to go on a holiday in a cottage in Scotland.but things are not as they seem do they really know each other I guessed one part of this story but absolutely loved the ending didn't expect it love reading psychological books as you think of all different ways the book is heading,but its great when you don't expect what's going to happen going to read more of this authors books.recommend it, its more than a 5*rating I was hooked.I live in Scotland and its great to read it in her book.thanks to this author to add me to her friend's list.fantastic read.
October 21, 2016
I read a lot of thrillers as they're one of my favourite genres and I made the fatal mistake of starting this book late at night. Waines's crisp, pacey writing grabbed me from the very first page and wouldn't let go.
One of the things I think most thriller and mystery readers love about our genre is trying to see whether or not we can figure out what's going on before the end of a book. Normally I guess well (and that doesn't stop me from enjoying a book.) But with this one? Nope. Not a clue.
The final twist(s) are really original and so well carried out. Highly recommended- but not for those who value their sleep!
One of the things I think most thriller and mystery readers love about our genre is trying to see whether or not we can figure out what's going on before the end of a book. Normally I guess well (and that doesn't stop me from enjoying a book.) But with this one? Nope. Not a clue.
The final twist(s) are really original and so well carried out. Highly recommended- but not for those who value their sleep!
February 27, 2016
Tedious and Clumbsy
This book was full of repetitive, inane detail. The characters were barely believable, and there were huge gaps in the plot (no one thought to ask how the baby killer become pregnant while in prison) that were clumsily revealed towards the very end of the book.
I admit that I chose the book because I mistakenly thought this was the same author as the one who wrote "The Girl on The Train". A huge disappointment.
This book was full of repetitive, inane detail. The characters were barely believable, and there were huge gaps in the plot (no one thought to ask how the baby killer become pregnant while in prison) that were clumsily revealed towards the very end of the book.
I admit that I chose the book because I mistakenly thought this was the same author as the one who wrote "The Girl on The Train". A huge disappointment.
July 1, 2020
No Longer Safe
Wow!! What an absolute page turner!
I really loved this book, and it's been a while since I've read a book and been totally thrown by the twists and turns. I honestly could not out this book down.
A fantastic story, a fantastic array of characters and an ending that blew my mind.
I can't wait to read more by A J Waines
Wow!! What an absolute page turner!
I really loved this book, and it's been a while since I've read a book and been totally thrown by the twists and turns. I honestly could not out this book down.
A fantastic story, a fantastic array of characters and an ending that blew my mind.
I can't wait to read more by A J Waines
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