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Five Parks
Five Parks
Five blind dates
Five potential kidnappers
No escape.
After breaking off her engagement with Michael, Suzanne is still looking for The One. Bored with her job in Freelance, she decides to take both matters of work and love into her own hands and Five Parks is born.
She starts a blog, offering five prospective suitors a chance of one of five dates in five London parks. Suzanne’s blog goes viral, amassing a huge following and even getting a column in a daily newspaper.
But after the fifth date – which she has no memory of - Suzanne wakes up shackled to a bed in a windowless room. The only items with her are a table, a chair and a laptop.
And an instruction from her captor: Keep Writing.
Praise for Ross McGuinness
‘A thriller for the digital age’
‘The perils of online dating taken to a whole new level’
J.M Hewitt – author of Exclusion Zone.
Ross McGuinness is a journalist. He has written for Metro, Yahoo, The Guardian and the BBC. He lives in London.
Five blind dates
Five potential kidnappers
No escape.
After breaking off her engagement with Michael, Suzanne is still looking for The One. Bored with her job in Freelance, she decides to take both matters of work and love into her own hands and Five Parks is born.
She starts a blog, offering five prospective suitors a chance of one of five dates in five London parks. Suzanne’s blog goes viral, amassing a huge following and even getting a column in a daily newspaper.
But after the fifth date – which she has no memory of - Suzanne wakes up shackled to a bed in a windowless room. The only items with her are a table, a chair and a laptop.
And an instruction from her captor: Keep Writing.
Praise for Ross McGuinness
‘A thriller for the digital age’
‘The perils of online dating taken to a whole new level’
J.M Hewitt – author of Exclusion Zone.
Ross McGuinness is a journalist. He has written for Metro, Yahoo, The Guardian and the BBC. He lives in London.
309 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 16, 2017
17 people are currently reading
82 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
November 22, 2017
Oh wow! (If I wasn’t such a well brought up middle aged Cheshire housewife I may have gone down the OMFG route!!) This book is twistier than my iPhone earphones when they’ve been at the bottom of my handbag for a week! And they are VERY tangled, just like the plot of this extremely clever and very socially relevant debut thriller from journalist Ross McGuinness. After I finished it late last night, I still felt like my brain was on a superfast spin cycle with all the shocking plot twists going round in my head gloating because they had completely managed to fool me. Yes that’s right this, often unbearably smug, reviewer who 99% of the time works out exactly where the plot is heading and who the “baddie” is was left totally flabbergasted with her jaw rather firmly dropped onto the floor at the outcome of Five Parks. This book is really rather clever and I can guarantee that, like me, you will want to inhale its gripping narrative in one full on, rollercoaster ride of a sitting.
I get lots of review requests and have actually closed my contact form down for the rest of 2017 due to struggling to find time to climb Mount TBR but as soon as I had the request for Five Parks I was so intrigued by its description that I instantly knew I had to read it. It’s use of social media, online dating and blogging made it stand out as a book very much of our time and I was curious to see how it was played out on the pages of a “whodunnit” thriller. To be honest, though, the first few pages had me literally scratching my head as I was rather confused as to what was happening but as soon as I took onboard the styling of the narrative I was HOOKED!! And it then made much more sense as to why the story was been played out that way with us being kept in the dark as much as Suzanne, our victim here, who was locked away by her unknown captor with only one instruction-for her to keep on writing.
I honestly thought I was being such a clever clogs spotting the villain of the piece after meeting all of Suzanne’s dates. But I was miles off!! Even my reserve suspect (I always have another suspect on standby!) wasn’t anywhere near the most shocking reveal I have read in ages! The lead up to that very intense denouement had certainly thrown up a few red herrings but I really enjoyed how the author introduced us to all the dates and I had fun trying to work out what their connections (if any!) were to Suzanne. After meeting dates #1 to #4 the fifth date was a bit of an enigma though , a puzzle waiting to be solved by both the reader and the captive Suzanne, as all the clues were presented to us. I thought the plot was an ingenious and unique idea and the way it was cleverly crafted with an online blog telling Suzanne’s story, as well as newspaper articles relating to the Five Parks dates, worked really well. Both of these concepts complimented the present day investigation by Suzanne who was desperately trying to remember date 5 so she could work out who was holding her and why. Being shackled and kept in the dark certainly added a different meaning to the term “blind date” and probably wasn’t quite what she’d had in mind when the Five Parks idea had been conceived!
I’m not sure why (possibly because I had a picture in my head of the park settings around London) but there was something about this authors writing that reminded me of SJ Watson at times. His intricately plotted storyline gave me that same thrill that I had when I first read “Before I go to Sleep”. Not because of any plot similarities, there was just a familiar “tingle” that suggests that Ross McGuinness is going to be an author to keep a very close eye on in the future. And, like Before I Go To Sleep, I think Five Parks would make an amazing transition to the big screen! I’m casting “the dates” in my mind as I write!
I just loved this book! And I’m so glad it enticed me in from that very important “back of the book” blurb. Occasionally there are books out there that are tailor made for you but, like online dating, sometimes you just need to be found so you can take a chance on that risky pairing. It could just be that you’ve met your perfect match!
Highly recommended by me!
I get lots of review requests and have actually closed my contact form down for the rest of 2017 due to struggling to find time to climb Mount TBR but as soon as I had the request for Five Parks I was so intrigued by its description that I instantly knew I had to read it. It’s use of social media, online dating and blogging made it stand out as a book very much of our time and I was curious to see how it was played out on the pages of a “whodunnit” thriller. To be honest, though, the first few pages had me literally scratching my head as I was rather confused as to what was happening but as soon as I took onboard the styling of the narrative I was HOOKED!! And it then made much more sense as to why the story was been played out that way with us being kept in the dark as much as Suzanne, our victim here, who was locked away by her unknown captor with only one instruction-for her to keep on writing.
I honestly thought I was being such a clever clogs spotting the villain of the piece after meeting all of Suzanne’s dates. But I was miles off!! Even my reserve suspect (I always have another suspect on standby!) wasn’t anywhere near the most shocking reveal I have read in ages! The lead up to that very intense denouement had certainly thrown up a few red herrings but I really enjoyed how the author introduced us to all the dates and I had fun trying to work out what their connections (if any!) were to Suzanne. After meeting dates #1 to #4 the fifth date was a bit of an enigma though , a puzzle waiting to be solved by both the reader and the captive Suzanne, as all the clues were presented to us. I thought the plot was an ingenious and unique idea and the way it was cleverly crafted with an online blog telling Suzanne’s story, as well as newspaper articles relating to the Five Parks dates, worked really well. Both of these concepts complimented the present day investigation by Suzanne who was desperately trying to remember date 5 so she could work out who was holding her and why. Being shackled and kept in the dark certainly added a different meaning to the term “blind date” and probably wasn’t quite what she’d had in mind when the Five Parks idea had been conceived!
I’m not sure why (possibly because I had a picture in my head of the park settings around London) but there was something about this authors writing that reminded me of SJ Watson at times. His intricately plotted storyline gave me that same thrill that I had when I first read “Before I go to Sleep”. Not because of any plot similarities, there was just a familiar “tingle” that suggests that Ross McGuinness is going to be an author to keep a very close eye on in the future. And, like Before I Go To Sleep, I think Five Parks would make an amazing transition to the big screen! I’m casting “the dates” in my mind as I write!
I just loved this book! And I’m so glad it enticed me in from that very important “back of the book” blurb. Occasionally there are books out there that are tailor made for you but, like online dating, sometimes you just need to be found so you can take a chance on that risky pairing. It could just be that you’ve met your perfect match!
Highly recommended by me!
September 4, 2017
This book really kept me on my toes. I love a good psychological thriller and this certainly fit the bill. Really unusual premise tick, a host of possible characters tick, kept me reading long after i should have put it down tick.
Suzanne decides to host five different dates in five London parks and blog about it... then it becomes national and garners more interest. All good and well until Suzanne wakes up in a tiny dark room handcuffed.
Smugly I thought I knew the captor all along but there were quite a few twists and turns and I got it wrong. Great book.
Suzanne decides to host five different dates in five London parks and blog about it... then it becomes national and garners more interest. All good and well until Suzanne wakes up in a tiny dark room handcuffed.
Smugly I thought I knew the captor all along but there were quite a few twists and turns and I got it wrong. Great book.
June 18, 2018
Do not let that cover fool you. It may not look like the cover for a thriller but Five Parks is definitely a full on thriller. It’s a warning to bloggers.... Someone is always watching….
Suzanne is kept in a dark room with only a laptop for company. Her captor wants her to write. to keep writing. For what means, who knows….but the more she writes and the more she is deprived of human interaction, the more interesting the story gets. I really felt for her to start with but as the story went on, let’s just say she isn’t whiter than white….
I kept switching suspects! The more Suzanne wrote, the more I couldn’t decide who to settle on. Each blog post she wrote led me up one path but she didn’t tell me whether it was a red herring or no; I had to decide whether to backtrack and take the next route she was leading be along or whether to stay put. But the outcome was not one I would ever have guessed!
It’s an unusual concept with everything written as blog posts. I’ve read novels before which aren’t in the traditional form to varying degrees of success (in my humble opinion) but I think Ross McGuinness has definitely pulled off a cracking read of blog posts.
Suzanne is kept in a dark room with only a laptop for company. Her captor wants her to write. to keep writing. For what means, who knows….but the more she writes and the more she is deprived of human interaction, the more interesting the story gets. I really felt for her to start with but as the story went on, let’s just say she isn’t whiter than white….
I kept switching suspects! The more Suzanne wrote, the more I couldn’t decide who to settle on. Each blog post she wrote led me up one path but she didn’t tell me whether it was a red herring or no; I had to decide whether to backtrack and take the next route she was leading be along or whether to stay put. But the outcome was not one I would ever have guessed!
It’s an unusual concept with everything written as blog posts. I’ve read novels before which aren’t in the traditional form to varying degrees of success (in my humble opinion) but I think Ross McGuinness has definitely pulled off a cracking read of blog posts.
March 21, 2018
Phew! Five Parks is a heart-stopping, intriguing, often disturbing and always challenging read. I have to admit that there were times when I thought I'd stepped just a little too far out of my comfort zone, but there's something quite compelling about this author's voice. I kept reading, holding my breath and screwing up my nose on occasion, but I kept going!
Five Parks is clever and the author's journalistic experience shines through clearly, not just in the quality of his writing, but also through his knowledge of relevant issues.
Five Parks is the name of Suzanne's blog. The idea is pretty simple; Suzanne is newly single and is determined to find her ideal man. Five Parks will follow her quest. She's offering five dates in five parks in London, to five men, and she's going to blog about her experiences.
Five Parks really takes off, with thousands of followers waiting eagerly for Suzanne's next instalment. And then, date five. Everything goes a bit pear shaped, and Suzanne remembers nothing when she wakes up. Tied and bound to a bed in a room in an unknown building. Her captor has left a laptop in the room and told her to keep writing.
I'll admit that there were times when I found this so uncomfortable to read, but this author cleverly incorporates some dry and dark humour into the story which soon settled me again. It's dark and it's very clever, with characters who are threatening and ominous. Don't for one moment imagine that you have it sussed out, that you know just who the captor is, believe me, you will be wrong.
Five Parks is story that twists and turns constantly, throwing up ideas to the reader that lead you down one track, only to find one great big concrete wall blocking your way, and making you scuttle around until the next surprise.
Ross McGuinness has his finger firmly on the pulse of the digital age. It's murky and not always pleasant as most of us will have discovered at time during our surfing sessions. However, most of us can't stay away and Five Parks is just like that; dark, dangerous and with surprises around every corner, but strangely compelling and addictive at the same time.
Five Parks is clever and the author's journalistic experience shines through clearly, not just in the quality of his writing, but also through his knowledge of relevant issues.
Five Parks is the name of Suzanne's blog. The idea is pretty simple; Suzanne is newly single and is determined to find her ideal man. Five Parks will follow her quest. She's offering five dates in five parks in London, to five men, and she's going to blog about her experiences.
Five Parks really takes off, with thousands of followers waiting eagerly for Suzanne's next instalment. And then, date five. Everything goes a bit pear shaped, and Suzanne remembers nothing when she wakes up. Tied and bound to a bed in a room in an unknown building. Her captor has left a laptop in the room and told her to keep writing.
I'll admit that there were times when I found this so uncomfortable to read, but this author cleverly incorporates some dry and dark humour into the story which soon settled me again. It's dark and it's very clever, with characters who are threatening and ominous. Don't for one moment imagine that you have it sussed out, that you know just who the captor is, believe me, you will be wrong.
Five Parks is story that twists and turns constantly, throwing up ideas to the reader that lead you down one track, only to find one great big concrete wall blocking your way, and making you scuttle around until the next surprise.
Ross McGuinness has his finger firmly on the pulse of the digital age. It's murky and not always pleasant as most of us will have discovered at time during our surfing sessions. However, most of us can't stay away and Five Parks is just like that; dark, dangerous and with surprises around every corner, but strangely compelling and addictive at the same time.
January 2, 2018
Five Parks
Interesting story where you weren't quite sure where it was going. Went from being a successful blogger to finding out that at the beginning no one responded and that her whole life was based on lies. It definitely had a surprise ending after thinking several people were the kidnappers.
Interesting story where you weren't quite sure where it was going. Went from being a successful blogger to finding out that at the beginning no one responded and that her whole life was based on lies. It definitely had a surprise ending after thinking several people were the kidnappers.
October 28, 2021
Stars: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
SUMMARY:
A woman wakes up, locked in a room with seemingly no doors or windows. Who put her here? And why? Does it have something to do with the blog “Five Parks” she’s working on? The clues left in the room would make that appear true...so who did this to her...a jealous ex boyfriend? A spurned date? A psychotic fan? You’ll just have to read it to find out...
PROS and CONS:
Great story, I loved the plot line - with chapters of Suzanne in the room, then reflecting back to the various dates she had been on while writing her blog. Who kidnapped her? And why? It’s a race to the end to find out!
READ IT?
I really liked this one...it had a good beginning, middle and end. If you’re into unique thrillers, give this one a try.
4 Stars
SUMMARY:
A woman wakes up, locked in a room with seemingly no doors or windows. Who put her here? And why? Does it have something to do with the blog “Five Parks” she’s working on? The clues left in the room would make that appear true...so who did this to her...a jealous ex boyfriend? A spurned date? A psychotic fan? You’ll just have to read it to find out...
PROS and CONS:
Great story, I loved the plot line - with chapters of Suzanne in the room, then reflecting back to the various dates she had been on while writing her blog. Who kidnapped her? And why? It’s a race to the end to find out!
READ IT?
I really liked this one...it had a good beginning, middle and end. If you’re into unique thrillers, give this one a try.
4 Stars
November 7, 2017
At times terrifying, at times funny, at times thought-provoking, and a wonderfully disorientating trip right to the end. A great read, and a genuinely interesting reflection on modern dating, the media, and friendship. Fantastic if you're a Londoner, and probably equally fantastic if you're not.
September 7, 2019
Very clever!
Rather slow and a bit boring but I am so pleased I stuck with it. The last 3rd of the book was worth the wait!!
Rather slow and a bit boring but I am so pleased I stuck with it. The last 3rd of the book was worth the wait!!
August 1, 2019
Fantastic! The story is creative and complex, keeping me off balance throughout- just what I want from this genre. It is a lot more cerebral than most stories of this genre, doesn't adhere to the standard blueprint. The writing and use of language is top-notch and the storytelling is very engrossing. It wraps up perfectly, all loose ends tied together for a very satisfaction conclusion.
December 2, 2017
Semi-interesting read at the start but seriously dragged on, was boring and dislikeable rushed to finish it skim read it towards the end very dull.
March 1, 2020
I was drawn in from the initial Kindle blurb, and was glad actually. A very engaging thriller, easy to read and get into, I would highly recommend for a rainy Sunday afternoon!
June 1, 2023
Journalist Suzanne, decides to start a blog - five dates at five parks on five Saturdays. What could go wrong. She soons finds out.
Not really any likeable characters in this modern mystery.
Not really any likeable characters in this modern mystery.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews