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The Promise
The chilling new psychological thriller from the #1 bestselling author of I Am Watching You.
It was their darkest secret. Three schoolgirls made a promise—to take the horrible truth of what they did to the grave.
Thirty years later, Beth and Sally have tried to put the trauma behind them. Though Carol has distanced herself from her former friends, the three are adamant that the truth must never come to light, even if the memory still haunts them.
But when some shocking news threatens to unearth their dark secret, Beth enlists the help of private investigator Matthew Hill to help her and Sally reconnect with estranged Carol—before the terrible act they committed as teenagers is revealed.
Beth wishes she could take back the vow they made.
But somebody is watching and will stop at nothing to ensure the secret stays buried. Now, with her beloved family in peril, can Beth still keep the promise?
It was their darkest secret. Three schoolgirls made a promise—to take the horrible truth of what they did to the grave.
Thirty years later, Beth and Sally have tried to put the trauma behind them. Though Carol has distanced herself from her former friends, the three are adamant that the truth must never come to light, even if the memory still haunts them.
But when some shocking news threatens to unearth their dark secret, Beth enlists the help of private investigator Matthew Hill to help her and Sally reconnect with estranged Carol—before the terrible act they committed as teenagers is revealed.
Beth wishes she could take back the vow they made.
But somebody is watching and will stop at nothing to ensure the secret stays buried. Now, with her beloved family in peril, can Beth still keep the promise?
315 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 7, 2019
6680 people are currently reading
10761 people want to read
About the author
Teresa Driscoll
14 books2,692 followersTeresa Driscoll is a former BBC TV news presenter whose psychological thrillers have sold over two million copies in more than 20 languages. Her first thriller I AM WATCHING YOU was kindle #1 in the UK, USA and Australia and has sold more than 1.5 million copies in English alone.
Teresa writes book club fiction as well as thrillers and her work has been optioned for film.
During her long career as a journalist, Teresa worked for newspapers, magazines and television, including 15 years presenting the BBC TV news programme Spotlight. Covering crime for so long, she was deeply moved by the haunting impact on the relatives, the friends and the witnesses and it is those ripples she explores now in her darker fiction.
Teresa lives in glorious Devon with her family and blogs regularly about her "writing life" at her website - www.teresadriscoll.com.
Teresa writes book club fiction as well as thrillers and her work has been optioned for film.
During her long career as a journalist, Teresa worked for newspapers, magazines and television, including 15 years presenting the BBC TV news programme Spotlight. Covering crime for so long, she was deeply moved by the haunting impact on the relatives, the friends and the witnesses and it is those ripples she explores now in her darker fiction.
Teresa lives in glorious Devon with her family and blogs regularly about her "writing life" at her website - www.teresadriscoll.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,323 reviews
February 6, 2019
I read a lot of psychological thrillers, it's my favorite genre, but after reading so many it really becomes harder to impress me. That is the case with The Promise.
Initially I was intrigued at the beginning:
"They sit very still in this room full of blood and sorrow - girls whose pulses burst in their veins and boom inside their ears. Their heads. Somewhere a clock ticks. A bird calls....
Three girls. One dead."
An intro like that will pique my interest every single time and I had all sorts of ideas of where this story was going to take me. And I was wrong on all accounts. If I'm being honest, I wanted a much darker and twisted story than what I got.
Beth, Sally, and Carol were best friends in boarding school. We are made aware that something happened during this time that they have all agreed to keep secret, hence, The Promise.
In present time Beth and Sally remain best friends, however, Carol has become estranged. Last they knew she was living in France with her husband, Ned.
When Beth and Sally are notified by their former boarding school that they are closing and the building to be demolished Beth and Sally fear that the secret they kept all these years is finally going to be brought to light.
Again, I was hoping for something really dark and I didn't get that here. At 65%, the BIG secret is finally revealed and it just fell flat for me. It wasn't anything all that sinister which is why I think Ms. Driscoll threw in a couple of other twists to try and make it darker, mostly just revealing that sometimes the men we love aren't who they appear to be, but at this point I just lost all interest and didn't care anymore. For people just taking an interest in this genre then this is likely to give you a thrill but any seasoned reader of this genre can safely skip this one with feeling that you're missing out on anything. 2 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Initially I was intrigued at the beginning:
"They sit very still in this room full of blood and sorrow - girls whose pulses burst in their veins and boom inside their ears. Their heads. Somewhere a clock ticks. A bird calls....
Three girls. One dead."
An intro like that will pique my interest every single time and I had all sorts of ideas of where this story was going to take me. And I was wrong on all accounts. If I'm being honest, I wanted a much darker and twisted story than what I got.
Beth, Sally, and Carol were best friends in boarding school. We are made aware that something happened during this time that they have all agreed to keep secret, hence, The Promise.
In present time Beth and Sally remain best friends, however, Carol has become estranged. Last they knew she was living in France with her husband, Ned.
When Beth and Sally are notified by their former boarding school that they are closing and the building to be demolished Beth and Sally fear that the secret they kept all these years is finally going to be brought to light.
Again, I was hoping for something really dark and I didn't get that here. At 65%, the BIG secret is finally revealed and it just fell flat for me. It wasn't anything all that sinister which is why I think Ms. Driscoll threw in a couple of other twists to try and make it darker, mostly just revealing that sometimes the men we love aren't who they appear to be, but at this point I just lost all interest and didn't care anymore. For people just taking an interest in this genre then this is likely to give you a thrill but any seasoned reader of this genre can safely skip this one with feeling that you're missing out on anything. 2 stars!
Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.
February 10, 2019
The Promise follows Beth, Sally, and Carol as they meet at a Catholic boarding school and become best friends. Something bad takes place when the girls are fourteen and they each make a promise to never reveal what happened and the parts they played in this traumatic event. This memory and holding in the secret of what happened tortures the girls throughout their lives. When they are 38, their old boarding school grounds are going to be torn apart, with the chance of their secret being revealed.
Beth is happily married to Adam and has two sons. She is terrified that she could lose her husband, along with her sons, if Adam discovers her secret. Sally turned to drinking, many years ago, in an effort to forget what the girls did so long ago. Carol has dropped off the map, no longer keeping in contact with her mom, Beth, or Sally and Beth is desperate to contact Carol, so they can either make plans to do "something" about their secret or be freed from their promise.
The book was really slow to catch my interest as we hop from the perspective of Beth, Carol, and Matthew, a not very efficient private investigator that Beth hires. Matthew's part in the book isn't really necessary although I think I enjoyed his commentary more than that of Beth and Carol. These girls/women need therapy more than they need anything else but since they won't reveal what happened all those years ago, there is no chance of healing from the memories.
In the present, as Beth searches for Carol, she receives threatening messages, implying that Beth should stop her search. The mysteries for the reader are what happened all those years ago, who is making the threats, and why is Carol being so evasive? Matthew has his own more recent trauma, that led him to quit the police department to become a PI. I was frustrated with all the talk of the bad thing that happened years ago without us getting to know what happened. I felt the same about Matthew's past trauma, with his thinking about what happened without us getting to know what did happened. By the time the girls' past event is revealed to us, I think it had lost it's shock value since it was hinted at for so very long.
Thank you to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for this ARC.
Beth is happily married to Adam and has two sons. She is terrified that she could lose her husband, along with her sons, if Adam discovers her secret. Sally turned to drinking, many years ago, in an effort to forget what the girls did so long ago. Carol has dropped off the map, no longer keeping in contact with her mom, Beth, or Sally and Beth is desperate to contact Carol, so they can either make plans to do "something" about their secret or be freed from their promise.
The book was really slow to catch my interest as we hop from the perspective of Beth, Carol, and Matthew, a not very efficient private investigator that Beth hires. Matthew's part in the book isn't really necessary although I think I enjoyed his commentary more than that of Beth and Carol. These girls/women need therapy more than they need anything else but since they won't reveal what happened all those years ago, there is no chance of healing from the memories.
In the present, as Beth searches for Carol, she receives threatening messages, implying that Beth should stop her search. The mysteries for the reader are what happened all those years ago, who is making the threats, and why is Carol being so evasive? Matthew has his own more recent trauma, that led him to quit the police department to become a PI. I was frustrated with all the talk of the bad thing that happened years ago without us getting to know what happened. I felt the same about Matthew's past trauma, with his thinking about what happened without us getting to know what did happened. By the time the girls' past event is revealed to us, I think it had lost it's shock value since it was hinted at for so very long.
Thank you to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for this ARC.
February 24, 2019
EXCERPT: 'I think I put my hand over her mouth. . .'
'Don't say that. Don't even think that. You wouldn't have done that.'
They sit very still in this room of blood and sorrow - girls whose pulses burst in their veins and boom inside their ears. Their heads. Somewhere a clock ticks. A bird calls. . .
Three girls. One dead.
ABOUT THIS BOOK: It was their darkest secret. Three schoolgirls made a promise – to take the horrible truth of what they did to the grave.
Thirty years later, Beth and Sally have tried to put the trauma behind them. Though Carol has distanced herself from her former friends, the three are adamant that the truth must never come to light, even if the memory still haunts them.
But when some shocking news threatens to unearth their dark secret, Beth enlists the help of private investigator Matthew Hill to help her and Sally reconnect with estranged Carol – before the terrible act they committed as teenagers is revealed.
Beth wishes she could take back the vow they made.
But somebody is watching and will stop at nothing to ensure the secret stays buried. Now, with her beloved family in peril, can Beth still keep the promise?
MY THOUGHTS: While The Promise lacks some of the oomph of Driscoll's previous psychological thriller, The Friend, it still had me hooked. As you can see, I read it in twenty-four hours.
Told mainly from Beth's perspective, and occasionally from that of Sally, Carol and Matthew, it is easy to see how things that happen in our childhood color our perspective, our decisions as adults. For the three women, their decision as teenagers follows them everywhere; a shadow, a scar. I can't even begin to imagine the guilt, the fear that they have lived with, that has refused to stay buried.
There are multiple layers to the story. Nothing is simple. Nothing predictable. Just when you think all has been revealed, there is more.
Definitely an author I will be following.
💕💕💕💕
THE AUTHOR: Teresa Driscoll - a former BBC TV news presenter- is now an international #1 bestselling author. Her debut psychological suspense I AM WATCHING YOU hit Number One on Kindle in the UK, USA and Australia and sold more than half a million copies in its first year. Her second thriller THE FRIEND was also Kindle #1 in the UK and Australia and a top #10 bestseller in the USA.
Teresa also writes women's fiction. Her debut in this genre RECIPES FOR MELISSA was auctioned at the Frankfurt book fair between seven German publishers and her second women's fiction title is LAST KISS GOODNIGHT.
During her long career as a journalist, Teresa worked for newspapers, magazines and television, including 15 years presenting the BBC TV news programme Spotlight. Covering crime for so long, she was deeply moved by the haunting impact on the relatives, the friends and the witnesses and it is those ripples she explores now in her darker fiction.
Teresa's books have been sold for translation in 15 languages. She lives in glorious Devon with her husband and two sons and blogs regularly about her "writing life".
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Thomas and Mercer via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Promise by Teresa Driscoll for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system. This review and others are also published on my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
'Don't say that. Don't even think that. You wouldn't have done that.'
They sit very still in this room of blood and sorrow - girls whose pulses burst in their veins and boom inside their ears. Their heads. Somewhere a clock ticks. A bird calls. . .
Three girls. One dead.
ABOUT THIS BOOK: It was their darkest secret. Three schoolgirls made a promise – to take the horrible truth of what they did to the grave.
Thirty years later, Beth and Sally have tried to put the trauma behind them. Though Carol has distanced herself from her former friends, the three are adamant that the truth must never come to light, even if the memory still haunts them.
But when some shocking news threatens to unearth their dark secret, Beth enlists the help of private investigator Matthew Hill to help her and Sally reconnect with estranged Carol – before the terrible act they committed as teenagers is revealed.
Beth wishes she could take back the vow they made.
But somebody is watching and will stop at nothing to ensure the secret stays buried. Now, with her beloved family in peril, can Beth still keep the promise?
MY THOUGHTS: While The Promise lacks some of the oomph of Driscoll's previous psychological thriller, The Friend, it still had me hooked. As you can see, I read it in twenty-four hours.
Told mainly from Beth's perspective, and occasionally from that of Sally, Carol and Matthew, it is easy to see how things that happen in our childhood color our perspective, our decisions as adults. For the three women, their decision as teenagers follows them everywhere; a shadow, a scar. I can't even begin to imagine the guilt, the fear that they have lived with, that has refused to stay buried.
There are multiple layers to the story. Nothing is simple. Nothing predictable. Just when you think all has been revealed, there is more.
Definitely an author I will be following.
💕💕💕💕
THE AUTHOR: Teresa Driscoll - a former BBC TV news presenter- is now an international #1 bestselling author. Her debut psychological suspense I AM WATCHING YOU hit Number One on Kindle in the UK, USA and Australia and sold more than half a million copies in its first year. Her second thriller THE FRIEND was also Kindle #1 in the UK and Australia and a top #10 bestseller in the USA.
Teresa also writes women's fiction. Her debut in this genre RECIPES FOR MELISSA was auctioned at the Frankfurt book fair between seven German publishers and her second women's fiction title is LAST KISS GOODNIGHT.
During her long career as a journalist, Teresa worked for newspapers, magazines and television, including 15 years presenting the BBC TV news programme Spotlight. Covering crime for so long, she was deeply moved by the haunting impact on the relatives, the friends and the witnesses and it is those ripples she explores now in her darker fiction.
Teresa's books have been sold for translation in 15 languages. She lives in glorious Devon with her husband and two sons and blogs regularly about her "writing life".
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Thomas and Mercer via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Promise by Teresa Driscoll for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system. This review and others are also published on my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
January 20, 2019
Three schoolgirls make a promise - to take the horrible truth of what they did to the grave. For thirty years Sally and Beth have tried to put the trauma behind them, even though Carol, the third girl, has distanced herself from her former friends. Something had happened at the boarding school that was run by nuns. Now the former boarding school has been scheduled for demolition. The news has the girls scared and nervous.Sally and Beth hire Matthew, a Private Detective, to try and find Carol. Will their secret be revealed?
The story is a bit of a slow burner, but curiosity makes you read on to find out just what the secret is that the three girls are keeping. The chapters alternate between the past and present and narrated between the characters. Parts of the search for Carol seemed to drag out a bit. The pace quickens up at around 70%, but from then on it all just seemed a bit rushed. I did guess what the secret was, and I found it to be a little disappointing. All in, this is still a decent read.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer and the author Teresa Driscoll for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The story is a bit of a slow burner, but curiosity makes you read on to find out just what the secret is that the three girls are keeping. The chapters alternate between the past and present and narrated between the characters. Parts of the search for Carol seemed to drag out a bit. The pace quickens up at around 70%, but from then on it all just seemed a bit rushed. I did guess what the secret was, and I found it to be a little disappointing. All in, this is still a decent read.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer and the author Teresa Driscoll for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 13, 2019
The Promise is a psychological thriller with the story that revolves around three teenage girls making a promise to keep a dark secret for all their lives. Now many years after the event their school is about to be closed and demolished, two of them, Beth and Sally, would like to find the third one, Carol, to make sure the secret is not about to be revealed in a horrible unexpected manner. The author mastefully builds psychological tension in the first half of the book as we keep guessing what the secret might have been about. Beth and Sally hire a PI to find Carol. Soon they begin to get threats, which become more and more serious. The pace picks up noticeably in the second half, which is action packed, until the mystery is revealed and all loose ends are tied in. The book is well-written and should appeal to the fans of the psychological thriller genre.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher (Thomas and Mercer) for the DRC provided in exchange for an honest opinion.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher (Thomas and Mercer) for the DRC provided in exchange for an honest opinion.
November 9, 2018
“The candles. The Promise. The bluebells....”
Something happened at the boarding school run by nuns.
And, now that the school is scheduled to be demolished, a secret may be revealed. It’s the secret that three fourteen year old girls vowed that they would take to their graves. It’s the secret that ended up severing the tight bond that Beth, Sally and Carol once shared when they were students at the school, thirty years ago.
Beth and Sally are still close. But they have been estranged from Carol for several years.
They need to find her before the school is torn down. So they hire PI Matthew Hill to help locate their former friend.
Told mainly through Beth’s perspective (past and present tense) the book takes awhile to set up. Once the plot is established, the present day perspectives of Matthew and Carol, are interspersed as well.
Perhaps because it took awhile to establish the story, I was not immediately engaged in this book, as I was in the author’s previous two efforts, “I Am Watching You” and “The Friend” . I also was not as surprised by the reveals, so it was my least favorite of her three books.
However, I still enjoy her writing style, and the characters she creates, and I never found myself wanting to skim, so, I would still recommend this for readers who have appreciated her earlier novels.
3.5 stars rounded up!
I would like to thank Netgalley, Thomas and Mercer, and Teresa Driscoll (who attended boarding school!) for the ARC I received in exchange for a candid review!
Available Feb. 7, 2019!
Something happened at the boarding school run by nuns.
And, now that the school is scheduled to be demolished, a secret may be revealed. It’s the secret that three fourteen year old girls vowed that they would take to their graves. It’s the secret that ended up severing the tight bond that Beth, Sally and Carol once shared when they were students at the school, thirty years ago.
Beth and Sally are still close. But they have been estranged from Carol for several years.
They need to find her before the school is torn down. So they hire PI Matthew Hill to help locate their former friend.
Told mainly through Beth’s perspective (past and present tense) the book takes awhile to set up. Once the plot is established, the present day perspectives of Matthew and Carol, are interspersed as well.
Perhaps because it took awhile to establish the story, I was not immediately engaged in this book, as I was in the author’s previous two efforts, “I Am Watching You” and “The Friend” . I also was not as surprised by the reveals, so it was my least favorite of her three books.
However, I still enjoy her writing style, and the characters she creates, and I never found myself wanting to skim, so, I would still recommend this for readers who have appreciated her earlier novels.
3.5 stars rounded up!
I would like to thank Netgalley, Thomas and Mercer, and Teresa Driscoll (who attended boarding school!) for the ARC I received in exchange for a candid review!
Available Feb. 7, 2019!
July 20, 2020
I had read Teresa Driscoll’s “I am Watching You”, “The Friend”, and “I Will Make You Pay” and really liked them. They packed a good story, were well written and had good pace. At the outset let me say that I found “The Promise” disappointing. The story is weak or at least inadequate and the book does not hold you.
Beth, Sally & Carol are friends since school. There is a dark secret they have promised each other will stay with them forever. While Beth & Sally have been in touch, Carol has moved countries with her partner and has not been in contact for some time. When they hear that their school property is being redeveloped, Beth & Sally try to reach Carol, hoping to have a reunion. As Carol is untraceable, finally Beth & Sally engage a private investigator Matthew to find her. Matthew senses that there are things he is not being told, and he has some incidents in the past he keeps to himself as well. Beth & Sally receive some threats indicating someone else somehow knows about their past, and all this also strains Beth’s relationship with her husband Adam.
This book is unfortunately far less engrossing than her earlier books. There are a couple of good twists & revelations at the end, but it is largely a passable story lacking pace to sustain interest.
Beth, Sally & Carol are friends since school. There is a dark secret they have promised each other will stay with them forever. While Beth & Sally have been in touch, Carol has moved countries with her partner and has not been in contact for some time. When they hear that their school property is being redeveloped, Beth & Sally try to reach Carol, hoping to have a reunion. As Carol is untraceable, finally Beth & Sally engage a private investigator Matthew to find her. Matthew senses that there are things he is not being told, and he has some incidents in the past he keeps to himself as well. Beth & Sally receive some threats indicating someone else somehow knows about their past, and all this also strains Beth’s relationship with her husband Adam.
This book is unfortunately far less engrossing than her earlier books. There are a couple of good twists & revelations at the end, but it is largely a passable story lacking pace to sustain interest.
January 9, 2019
I received a free e-copy of The Promise by Teresa Driscoll from NetGalley for my honest review.
Three friends, Beth, Sally, and Carol met at a Catholic boarding school. They formed a special bond. Their bond, however is set by a deep and dark secret that has haunted them throughout their lives. A secret they all swore to take to their graves.
Many years later, the girls get news that their former school is going to be demolished. Now they are in fear that their secret, long ago, will be discovered. Also, someone is watching them, but who? Is there someone out there that knows what they did?
The story is beautifully written and the characters are wonderful but the story moved along a bit slowly for me. It is told by four different points of view (Beth, Sally, Carol and Matthew).
Three friends, Beth, Sally, and Carol met at a Catholic boarding school. They formed a special bond. Their bond, however is set by a deep and dark secret that has haunted them throughout their lives. A secret they all swore to take to their graves.
Many years later, the girls get news that their former school is going to be demolished. Now they are in fear that their secret, long ago, will be discovered. Also, someone is watching them, but who? Is there someone out there that knows what they did?
The story is beautifully written and the characters are wonderful but the story moved along a bit slowly for me. It is told by four different points of view (Beth, Sally, Carol and Matthew).
July 22, 2019
A promise is your word. A promise is a vow. A promise is binding. A promise is an agreement to do that which is difficult. We promise to attend a ballet recital for 6 year olds. We do promise to eat the entire quart of Rocky Road ice cream.
Teresa Driscoll writes about The Promise that three boarding school teenagers pledge to each other. Beth, Sally and Carol promise to keep a deep dark secret for their entire lives, regardless of the consequences.
Years pass. Beth and Sally remained close but Carol did not. In fact, Carol was out of their lives by her own choice.
The news that their old boarding school was closing stirred Beth and Sally’s fears that their secret would be revealed. The two want and need to talk to Carol. To find Carol, they hire a private investigator, Matthew Hall.
As Matthew searches for Carol, more secrets are uncovered. Author Teresa Driscoll gives us a mystery within a mystery. As the layers of the story peel away, we are confronted with the question: What secrets are worth taking to the grave?
The Promise is slow to start but as the story unfolds, the pace quickens and tension rises. You will find yourself in a mad dash to the conclusion of this thriller. I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley. #NetGalley #ThePromise
Teresa Driscoll writes about The Promise that three boarding school teenagers pledge to each other. Beth, Sally and Carol promise to keep a deep dark secret for their entire lives, regardless of the consequences.
Years pass. Beth and Sally remained close but Carol did not. In fact, Carol was out of their lives by her own choice.
The news that their old boarding school was closing stirred Beth and Sally’s fears that their secret would be revealed. The two want and need to talk to Carol. To find Carol, they hire a private investigator, Matthew Hall.
As Matthew searches for Carol, more secrets are uncovered. Author Teresa Driscoll gives us a mystery within a mystery. As the layers of the story peel away, we are confronted with the question: What secrets are worth taking to the grave?
The Promise is slow to start but as the story unfolds, the pace quickens and tension rises. You will find yourself in a mad dash to the conclusion of this thriller. I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley. #NetGalley #ThePromise
February 7, 2019
I love it when you haven’t read a book from an author you really like for a while, then you discover they have a new book out. You are so excited you want real life to stop for a while so that you can enjoy this without being interrupted!!
When Beth, Sally and Carole meet at a Convent boarding school they become the best of friends, although something bad happens, they keep this secret between themselves for years to come. This will affect the rest of their lives in different ways and will forever haunt them.
The news that the old Convent is going to be demolished and the land built on, panics Beth and Sally. Carole has distanced herself from her friends who are desperate to tell her the news about their old school.
The timeline jumps from when the girls were friends at the school to the present time, where Beth hires a P.I. to find her friend Carole before the school is demolished.
I really enjoyed the friendship side of this book and how a secret shared as a child can seem harmless, but when the lies escalate to keep this secret, it can worm away inside you until it is out in the open!!
There are some unexpected twists that will keep you in suspense and fully absorbed in this story. A must read book that will have you looking for other’s that Teresa Driscoll has written!!
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.
When Beth, Sally and Carole meet at a Convent boarding school they become the best of friends, although something bad happens, they keep this secret between themselves for years to come. This will affect the rest of their lives in different ways and will forever haunt them.
The news that the old Convent is going to be demolished and the land built on, panics Beth and Sally. Carole has distanced herself from her friends who are desperate to tell her the news about their old school.
The timeline jumps from when the girls were friends at the school to the present time, where Beth hires a P.I. to find her friend Carole before the school is demolished.
I really enjoyed the friendship side of this book and how a secret shared as a child can seem harmless, but when the lies escalate to keep this secret, it can worm away inside you until it is out in the open!!
There are some unexpected twists that will keep you in suspense and fully absorbed in this story. A must read book that will have you looking for other’s that Teresa Driscoll has written!!
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.
October 16, 2018
The Promise by Teresa Driscoll is a slow building tale of three friends who find out that the boarding school where they met when they were children is about to be closed and demolished. This puts them all into a panic because of a terrible incident that they have all kept hidden for many years and promised never to reveal.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Amazon Publishing for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Amazon Publishing for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
February 7, 2019
Three girls held a deep, dark secret. Three girls made a promise they vowed to keep forever. Now something and someone is threatening that promise. Will the truth come out or will these women do anything possible to keep their secret hidden forever?
I am a huge Teresa Driscoll fan and have previously rated her books very highly. The Promise is a slow burning psychological suspense novel – not a thriller – but a book filled with plenty of atmospheric drama. The book begins when the three women are at a private girls school. While we don’t actually learn what the secret is, I suspect that most of us can guess. It’s a terrible thing that happens and traumatizing, too, for each of the girls. However, the secret more than the event becomes the catalyst for problems down the road as is generally the case with secrets, right?
Without giving any of the plot away, I will say that I enjoyed The Promise but not nearly as much as I have liked Driscoll’s precious work. While it’s well written, I had a difficult time actually connecting with any of the three women. Perhaps it’s because I’m too bluntly honest for my own good and keeping a secret for a lifetime isn’t something I can conceive of doing. Just deal it already! Despite misgivings, however, I found myself engrossed in their story and I did read it in one very quick sitting. I suspect that if, like me, you are a Driscoll fan then you will like this selection. If you enjoy slow-burning psychological reads then this will be good one for you as well. If, however, you like thrillers, then this one is not for you. It is very much a solid three-star rating from me.
I am a huge Teresa Driscoll fan and have previously rated her books very highly. The Promise is a slow burning psychological suspense novel – not a thriller – but a book filled with plenty of atmospheric drama. The book begins when the three women are at a private girls school. While we don’t actually learn what the secret is, I suspect that most of us can guess. It’s a terrible thing that happens and traumatizing, too, for each of the girls. However, the secret more than the event becomes the catalyst for problems down the road as is generally the case with secrets, right?
Without giving any of the plot away, I will say that I enjoyed The Promise but not nearly as much as I have liked Driscoll’s precious work. While it’s well written, I had a difficult time actually connecting with any of the three women. Perhaps it’s because I’m too bluntly honest for my own good and keeping a secret for a lifetime isn’t something I can conceive of doing. Just deal it already! Despite misgivings, however, I found myself engrossed in their story and I did read it in one very quick sitting. I suspect that if, like me, you are a Driscoll fan then you will like this selection. If you enjoy slow-burning psychological reads then this will be good one for you as well. If, however, you like thrillers, then this one is not for you. It is very much a solid three-star rating from me.
July 22, 2019
A promise is your word. A promise is a vow. A promise is binding. A promise is an agreement to do that which is difficult. We promise to attend a ballet recital for 6 year olds. We do promise to eat the entire quart of Rocky Road ice cream.
Teresa Driscoll writes about The Promise that three boarding school teenagers pledge to each other. Beth, Sally and Carol promise to keep a deep dark secret for their entire lives, regardless of the consequences.
Years pass. Beth and Sally remained close but Carol did not. In fact, Carol was out of their lives by her own choice.
The news that their old boarding school was closing stirred Beth and Sally’s fears that their secret would be revealed. The two want and need to talk to Carol. To find Carol, they hire a private investigator, Matthew Hall.
As Matthew searches for Carol, more secrets are uncovered. Author Teresa Driscoll gives us a mystery within a mystery. As the layers of the story peel away, we are confronted with the question: What secrets are worth taking to the grave?
The Promise is slow to start but as the story unfolds, the pace quickens and tension rises. You will find yourself in a mad dash to the conclusion of this thriller. I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley. #NetGalley #ThePromise
Teresa Driscoll writes about The Promise that three boarding school teenagers pledge to each other. Beth, Sally and Carol promise to keep a deep dark secret for their entire lives, regardless of the consequences.
Years pass. Beth and Sally remained close but Carol did not. In fact, Carol was out of their lives by her own choice.
The news that their old boarding school was closing stirred Beth and Sally’s fears that their secret would be revealed. The two want and need to talk to Carol. To find Carol, they hire a private investigator, Matthew Hall.
As Matthew searches for Carol, more secrets are uncovered. Author Teresa Driscoll gives us a mystery within a mystery. As the layers of the story peel away, we are confronted with the question: What secrets are worth taking to the grave?
The Promise is slow to start but as the story unfolds, the pace quickens and tension rises. You will find yourself in a mad dash to the conclusion of this thriller. I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley. #NetGalley #ThePromise
February 6, 2021
This is a good - not exactly original but still, good - story told in a very tricky way that I'm not sure will work for many readers.
My first feeling was that the narrators in this book are having their own secret world, as opposed to the usual feeling when you as a reader are let into the narrator's head exclusively and your biggest excitement comes from waiting with great anticipation to see what other narrators and/or characters will do when they finally discover what you already know.
It is mainly due to the fact that THE PROMISE spins around a promise that many (if not all, you never know) narrators know but you as a reader don't. Everything is moving forward against this big finale but you constantly feel excluded...because they know and hint at it, but you are left in the dark until much later...
Truly reminded me about friggin being in high school.
On the plus side, the writing is very good. There are some chapters when it gets almost mythical and poetic if you don't count the fact that you're still excluded from their little promise club. And the descriptions of an English boarding school felt highly realistic (in that it made me cringe and NEVER send my kids there, but still) and time and place appropriate - thank you, Teresa Driscoll, for the education. I can only hope this wasn't written based on your personal experiences.
Other than that the story reminded me of Ruth Ware's The Lying Game, but with different secrets and lies. And also a bit of Curtis Sittenfeld's Prep - only the British version a somewhat high-end boarding school where you feel like you don't exactly belong or fit in.
Thank you Thomas & Mercer for the chance to read this in exchange for my honest opinion.
My first feeling was that the narrators in this book are having their own secret world, as opposed to the usual feeling when you as a reader are let into the narrator's head exclusively and your biggest excitement comes from waiting with great anticipation to see what other narrators and/or characters will do when they finally discover what you already know.
It is mainly due to the fact that THE PROMISE spins around a promise that many (if not all, you never know) narrators know but you as a reader don't. Everything is moving forward against this big finale but you constantly feel excluded...because they know and hint at it, but you are left in the dark until much later...
Truly reminded me about friggin being in high school.
On the plus side, the writing is very good. There are some chapters when it gets almost mythical and poetic if you don't count the fact that you're still excluded from their little promise club. And the descriptions of an English boarding school felt highly realistic (in that it made me cringe and NEVER send my kids there, but still) and time and place appropriate - thank you, Teresa Driscoll, for the education. I can only hope this wasn't written based on your personal experiences.
Other than that the story reminded me of Ruth Ware's The Lying Game, but with different secrets and lies. And also a bit of Curtis Sittenfeld's Prep - only the British version a somewhat high-end boarding school where you feel like you don't exactly belong or fit in.
Thank you Thomas & Mercer for the chance to read this in exchange for my honest opinion.
February 22, 2019
A dark character study of the impact a promise made long ago has on the lives of three women. Teresa Driscoll’s The Promise is more of a suspense novel than psychological thriller, but with some fascinating secrets that await being revealed!
About the Book
The chilling new psychological thriller from the #1 bestselling author of I Am Watching You.
It was their darkest secret. Three schoolgirls made a promise – to take the horrible truth of what they did to the grave.
Thirty years later, Beth and Sally have tried to put the trauma behind them. Though Carol has distanced herself from her former friends, the three are adamant that the truth must never come to light, even if the memory still haunts them.
But when some shocking news threatens to unearth their dark secret, Beth enlists the help of private investigator Matthew Hill to help her and Sally reconnect with estranged Carol ¬– before the terrible act they committed as teenagers is revealed.
Beth wishes she could take back the vow they made.
But somebody is watching and will stop at nothing to ensure the secret stays buried. Now, with her beloved family in peril, can Beth still keep the promise?
Reflection
I’ve wanted to read something by Teresa Driscoll for awhile, and I actually bought a copy of one of her previous novels based on recommendations from some book friends! After reading The Promise, I can see why so many people are a fan of her work. She builds some fascinating characters and settings for psychological suspense!
Told mainly from Beth’s perspective then and now, the story revolves around three friends who made a promise to keep a dark secret many years ago, when they were just fourteen and away at boarding school. Though Beth and Sally have remained good friends into adulthood, they’ve lost touch with their other best friend Carol. And not just lost touch, something is not quite right with Carol ever since she left boarding school… Weekend trips cut short, and Carol begging out of group outings.
I found Carol to be a frustratingly enigmatic character. She was on the periphery of the book, while she also felt like the central character. The chapters narrated by Carol are scattered and emotional. She doesn’t eat enough, and she doesn’t like to acknowledge what has happened, in the past or the present.
When news of the Convent where they attended school being torn down reaches them, Beth and Sally panic. Is this when their secret will finally come out? After so many years staying buried? Desperate to talk to Carol about their next steps, Beth hires a private investigator with his own dark past to help them find Carol. And as they get closer to finding her, the clues only become more confusing…
I found Beth to be partially sympathetic, and partially infuriating. She’s a character whose instincts are spot on, but who also is somewhat self-sabotaging in the way she behaves. Often, Beth seems to have a knack for doing the one thing that will make a situation worse. But I sympathized with that because Beth is someone who hates secrets. The truth is important to Beth, and we really see the toll this secret has taken on her.
As the plot creeps closer to the reveal, this becomes more suspense than psychological thriller, which is to say that the major reveals come just past the halfway point. Keep reading though! There are a few twists yet to come as the book heads towards closure…
I hope readers enjoy this book! I certainly plan to read more by Teresa Driscoll. Thank you to Thomas & Mercer for my copy. Opinions are my own.
About the Book
The chilling new psychological thriller from the #1 bestselling author of I Am Watching You.
It was their darkest secret. Three schoolgirls made a promise – to take the horrible truth of what they did to the grave.
Thirty years later, Beth and Sally have tried to put the trauma behind them. Though Carol has distanced herself from her former friends, the three are adamant that the truth must never come to light, even if the memory still haunts them.
But when some shocking news threatens to unearth their dark secret, Beth enlists the help of private investigator Matthew Hill to help her and Sally reconnect with estranged Carol ¬– before the terrible act they committed as teenagers is revealed.
Beth wishes she could take back the vow they made.
But somebody is watching and will stop at nothing to ensure the secret stays buried. Now, with her beloved family in peril, can Beth still keep the promise?
Reflection
I’ve wanted to read something by Teresa Driscoll for awhile, and I actually bought a copy of one of her previous novels based on recommendations from some book friends! After reading The Promise, I can see why so many people are a fan of her work. She builds some fascinating characters and settings for psychological suspense!
Told mainly from Beth’s perspective then and now, the story revolves around three friends who made a promise to keep a dark secret many years ago, when they were just fourteen and away at boarding school. Though Beth and Sally have remained good friends into adulthood, they’ve lost touch with their other best friend Carol. And not just lost touch, something is not quite right with Carol ever since she left boarding school… Weekend trips cut short, and Carol begging out of group outings.
I found Carol to be a frustratingly enigmatic character. She was on the periphery of the book, while she also felt like the central character. The chapters narrated by Carol are scattered and emotional. She doesn’t eat enough, and she doesn’t like to acknowledge what has happened, in the past or the present.
When news of the Convent where they attended school being torn down reaches them, Beth and Sally panic. Is this when their secret will finally come out? After so many years staying buried? Desperate to talk to Carol about their next steps, Beth hires a private investigator with his own dark past to help them find Carol. And as they get closer to finding her, the clues only become more confusing…
I found Beth to be partially sympathetic, and partially infuriating. She’s a character whose instincts are spot on, but who also is somewhat self-sabotaging in the way she behaves. Often, Beth seems to have a knack for doing the one thing that will make a situation worse. But I sympathized with that because Beth is someone who hates secrets. The truth is important to Beth, and we really see the toll this secret has taken on her.
As the plot creeps closer to the reveal, this becomes more suspense than psychological thriller, which is to say that the major reveals come just past the halfway point. Keep reading though! There are a few twists yet to come as the book heads towards closure…
I hope readers enjoy this book! I certainly plan to read more by Teresa Driscoll. Thank you to Thomas & Mercer for my copy. Opinions are my own.
November 9, 2018
The candles. The Promise. The bluebells....”
Something happened at the boarding school run by nuns.
And, now that the school is scheduled to be demolished, a secret may be revealed. It’s the secret that three fourteen year old girls vowed that they would take to their graves. It’s the secret that ended up severing the tight bond that Beth, Sally and Carol once shared when they were students at the school, thirty years ago.
Beth and Sally are still close. But they have been estranged from Carol for several years.
They need to find her before the school is torn down. So they hire PI Matthew Hill to help locate their former friend.
Told mainly through Beth’s perspective (past and present tense) the book takes awhile to set up. Once the plot is established, the present day perspectives of Matthew and Carol, are interspersed as well.
Perhaps because it took awhile to establish the story, I was not immediately engaged in this book, as I was in the author’s previous two efforts, “I Am Watching You” and “The Friend” . I also was not as surprised by the reveals, so it was my least favorite of her three books.
However, I still enjoy her writing style, and the characters she creates, and I never found myself wanting to skim, so, I would still recommend this for readers who have appreciated her earlier novels.
3.5 stars rounded up!
I would like to thank Netgalley, Thomas and Mercer, and Teresa Driscoll (who attended boarding school!) for the ARC I received in exchange for a candid review!
Available Feb. 7, 2019!
Something happened at the boarding school run by nuns.
And, now that the school is scheduled to be demolished, a secret may be revealed. It’s the secret that three fourteen year old girls vowed that they would take to their graves. It’s the secret that ended up severing the tight bond that Beth, Sally and Carol once shared when they were students at the school, thirty years ago.
Beth and Sally are still close. But they have been estranged from Carol for several years.
They need to find her before the school is torn down. So they hire PI Matthew Hill to help locate their former friend.
Told mainly through Beth’s perspective (past and present tense) the book takes awhile to set up. Once the plot is established, the present day perspectives of Matthew and Carol, are interspersed as well.
Perhaps because it took awhile to establish the story, I was not immediately engaged in this book, as I was in the author’s previous two efforts, “I Am Watching You” and “The Friend” . I also was not as surprised by the reveals, so it was my least favorite of her three books.
However, I still enjoy her writing style, and the characters she creates, and I never found myself wanting to skim, so, I would still recommend this for readers who have appreciated her earlier novels.
3.5 stars rounded up!
I would like to thank Netgalley, Thomas and Mercer, and Teresa Driscoll (who attended boarding school!) for the ARC I received in exchange for a candid review!
Available Feb. 7, 2019!
November 12, 2021
Audio - 5 Stars
Story 2.5 stars
Story 2.5 stars
December 26, 2018
The Promise by Teresa Driscoll was a quick read for me. The story was a bit slow to begin with and I found the ending to be quite rushed. So much happened and quickly in the last 30% or so. It was a good story that has you wanting to know what has happened and who knows.
3 school friends - Carol, Beth and Sally did something horrible at boarding school. Something that they will never speak about again - the secret they promise to take to their graves. But the news that their former school is being demolished has them nervous and scared that their secret will be revealed. They are being watched and targeted - but who else knows about their past?
Thanks to Thomas and Mercer and Netgalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased.
3 school friends - Carol, Beth and Sally did something horrible at boarding school. Something that they will never speak about again - the secret they promise to take to their graves. But the news that their former school is being demolished has them nervous and scared that their secret will be revealed. They are being watched and targeted - but who else knows about their past?
Thanks to Thomas and Mercer and Netgalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased.
September 23, 2019
Review to come very soon. I enjoyed this book very much and so glad I have more of her books on kindle.
April 30, 2019
Underwhelming? Anti-climatic? -- A big whopping yes to both.
If you're looking for a psychological suspense, The Promise isn't the book for you. I'd say it's more of a domestic fiction. Mostly though, it's just dull.
The book begins with some serious potential:
These words made it appear we were sitting on the cusp of a deeply dark, deeply disturbing story. Unfortunately, we weren't. When, at around the 65% mark, the secret was revealed, I was less than thrilled. I thought to myself, "I was waiting for this? Really?"
The final 10% of the book throws a few mild surprises at the readers (one of which was very easy to figure out), but honestly, at that point, I didn't really give a hoot one way or another. I was bored with the characters, bored with the story, and annoyed that "the promise" was so underwhelming.
I loved the debut novel by Teresa Driscoll, I Am Watching You. Unfortunately, I was less inspired by book two, The Friend, and The Promise might be the worst yet.
**Despite my lackluster review, I'd still like to thank NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the advanced reader's copy, in exchange for my honest review.
If you're looking for a psychological suspense, The Promise isn't the book for you. I'd say it's more of a domestic fiction. Mostly though, it's just dull.
The book begins with some serious potential:
"Three girls. One dead. She looks at the other girl -lips blue- and all of the blood, and she realizes the happiness on the beach was just a trick."
These words made it appear we were sitting on the cusp of a deeply dark, deeply disturbing story. Unfortunately, we weren't. When, at around the 65% mark, the secret was revealed, I was less than thrilled. I thought to myself, "I was waiting for this? Really?"
The final 10% of the book throws a few mild surprises at the readers (one of which was very easy to figure out), but honestly, at that point, I didn't really give a hoot one way or another. I was bored with the characters, bored with the story, and annoyed that "the promise" was so underwhelming.
I loved the debut novel by Teresa Driscoll, I Am Watching You. Unfortunately, I was less inspired by book two, The Friend, and The Promise might be the worst yet.
**Despite my lackluster review, I'd still like to thank NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the advanced reader's copy, in exchange for my honest review.
April 27, 2019
The Promise follows Beth, Sally, and Carol, they meet at a Catholic boarding school and become best friends, the story switched between the time they spent at boarding school and the present day. With the impending school reunion looming over their heads and finding out their old boarding school grounds are going to be torn apart, it becomes clears that a secret may be about to be discovered.
Something happened when the girls were just 14 years old and they each made a promise never to tell anyone, and they have been living with the secret ever since - a secret that seems to be torturing the women through their lives.
The secret was very long drawn out, that when it was revealed it almost fell flat fore me, I had an incline as to what it might entail, and I was only half right! The rest I never saw coming! This was a good psychological thriller and nice change of pace from the romance books I have been devouring of late.
Something happened when the girls were just 14 years old and they each made a promise never to tell anyone, and they have been living with the secret ever since - a secret that seems to be torturing the women through their lives.
The secret was very long drawn out, that when it was revealed it almost fell flat fore me, I had an incline as to what it might entail, and I was only half right! The rest I never saw coming! This was a good psychological thriller and nice change of pace from the romance books I have been devouring of late.
April 23, 2019
Not impressed at all.
I believed in this book. I hoped it would be better than the books by Ruth Ware, even though the promises were very similar to those of her books. Yet... It was a disaster. There is no suspense, there is no mystery, the characters seem to be thin as tissue paper, they are iterated and unbelievable, they seem stereotypical. The revelations are ridiculously silly and unsensorial, there is no pathos and there is no fear. Missing all the features of a good mystery, you can not even talk about a thriller. I was very disappointed. The setting was very interesting, even the story could be well organized and well done, but everything was ruined by the lack of narrative rhythm and by stupid characters who do stupid things. A useless book.
Thanks to Netgalley.
I believed in this book. I hoped it would be better than the books by Ruth Ware, even though the promises were very similar to those of her books. Yet... It was a disaster. There is no suspense, there is no mystery, the characters seem to be thin as tissue paper, they are iterated and unbelievable, they seem stereotypical. The revelations are ridiculously silly and unsensorial, there is no pathos and there is no fear. Missing all the features of a good mystery, you can not even talk about a thriller. I was very disappointed. The setting was very interesting, even the story could be well organized and well done, but everything was ruined by the lack of narrative rhythm and by stupid characters who do stupid things. A useless book.
Thanks to Netgalley.
December 19, 2018
Teresa Driscoll has done it again with another brilliant book.
Boarding school brings together three girls and from the first day they strike up a bond that is unbreakable. Or is it?
Beth, Sally and Carol are not only close during term time, they spend holidays together too. That is until they turn 14 and their lives are turned upside down. Things are never the same again but they must never speak about what happened all those years ago.
How long can they keep The Promise?
Boarding school brings together three girls and from the first day they strike up a bond that is unbreakable. Or is it?
Beth, Sally and Carol are not only close during term time, they spend holidays together too. That is until they turn 14 and their lives are turned upside down. Things are never the same again but they must never speak about what happened all those years ago.
How long can they keep The Promise?
June 10, 2022
Such a good book! I was kind of disappointed in the "promise" between the 3 girls, as I expected something way more interesting due to the build up throughout the story. However, I loved the suspense and be clueless how everything would turn out. I kept thinking I knew who did it, but kept being wrong. Ending was so great! So shook by the truth Carol told Beth. Still in shock. Loved this book!
March 14, 2019
3.5 stars
The Promise by Teresa Driscoll is a psychological thriller
First, let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Thomas & Mercer, and of course the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
My Synopsis:
Due to fewer nuns entering the order, and less students enrolling in the school, The Order of St. Colman is moving to a smaller site. The existing buildings will be demolished, and the site sold and re-developed.
Beth and Sally meet to discuss the ramifications of the destruction of their old boarding school. They agree. They have to find Carol. Their secret may be revealed, and they have to figure out what to do – together. The three girls had become inseparable during their school days, but Carol had drifted away. Now, a promise made as 14-year olds must be broken as adults, but all must agree.
In the last 30 years, the girls became women. Beth is happily married to Adam and they have two boys. Beth is terrified that she will lose Adam if the secret comes out. Sally is divorced after a miscarriage showed her the truth about her husband. She is finally getting her life back on track. She doesn’t want the secret to derail her now. Last they heard, Carol was living in France with her husband Ned, and doing a lot of travelling.
Without providing too much detail, the women hire Private Investigator Matthew Hill to find Carol.
Little do they know that there is someone out there watching them, and Beth starts getting warnings to drop things. It starts innocent enough, but the warnings escalate.
My Opinions:
This book is about loyalty, and love, and friendship. Friends that we make as children, and keep as we age. Those friends, even when separated by distance, have powerful bonds. And it is about a secret between three such friends. A secret that should never have been kept, and which has haunted them all.
The book started slow, and I truly thought there were just too many words…. There were definitely parts that could have been cut out, that didn’t really add to the plot – Matthew’s backstory, the crows, and that epilogue was just too long… Needless to say I must have skimmed parts, because I know Carol’s Mom came to stay at Beth’s, but I don’t remember her ever leaving… These things concern me.
However, the premise was great, and with a little patience, the story revealed itself, and it was good. It was told from different perspectives, from different time-lines, but it was very straightforward, no confusion. Some of the reveals were very predictable, but there were a couple of extra twists that surprised me.
The book really picked up speed by about 60%, and from there to the overly long ending, I really enjoyed it. Part of me thinks too late, and the other part says but it was good! So I’m struggling to give it a rating. In my book,” Good” is a 3 star rating, but I can’t do that because the bad part was so long, it deserves only 2. On the other hand, the good part was that good that I want to forget about all the bad and give it 4 stars…but I can’t do that either. See my dilemma? I’m going with 3.5. Don’t ask.
For a more complete review of this book and others, please visit my blog: http://katlovesbooksblog.wordpress.com/
January 28, 2019
**2-2.5 Stars **
Expected Publication: February 7th, 2019
Unpopular opinion alert...I'm SORRY!! I wanted to like this so much, but it was such a slow burn that by the time something actually happened, my mind was made up that I just didn't really care. Three girls from boarding school make a "promise" to never discuss something tragic and throughout 60-70% of this book it just keeps referencing it without any details. Then the last 30% of this read, things get cray cray which did redeem it. I did love the way things came together, it was dark and twisted but it just came too late for me. I can see how a lot of people are giving this rave reviews. I would say know going in that it will be slow and if you can stay interested, I think the ending will be worth it.
Special thanks to NetGalley, Teresa Driscoll, and Thomas & Mercer for allowing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review..
Expected Publication: February 7th, 2019
Unpopular opinion alert...I'm SORRY!! I wanted to like this so much, but it was such a slow burn that by the time something actually happened, my mind was made up that I just didn't really care. Three girls from boarding school make a "promise" to never discuss something tragic and throughout 60-70% of this book it just keeps referencing it without any details. Then the last 30% of this read, things get cray cray which did redeem it. I did love the way things came together, it was dark and twisted but it just came too late for me. I can see how a lot of people are giving this rave reviews. I would say know going in that it will be slow and if you can stay interested, I think the ending will be worth it.
Special thanks to NetGalley, Teresa Driscoll, and Thomas & Mercer for allowing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review..
February 7, 2019
Three friends Carol , Beth and Sally went through something horrible at boarding school and they promised each other to never talk about it again. In the present day, all three girls have gone their separate ways until they hear, that their old boarding school is being demolished and they fear that secret from their past, will come out. On top of that there is also someone watching them who wants them to leave things alone.
The Promise by Teresa Driscoll is a slow paced psychological thriller. The chapters alternate between the past and present with different POV’s. The pace quickens at later half of the book but the ending felt a little rushed. However I did enjoy the author’s writing style and her character development .
I would like to thank Thomas & Mercer & NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review.
This and more reviews at https://chloesbooksblog.wordpress.com/
The Promise by Teresa Driscoll is a slow paced psychological thriller. The chapters alternate between the past and present with different POV’s. The pace quickens at later half of the book but the ending felt a little rushed. However I did enjoy the author’s writing style and her character development .
I would like to thank Thomas & Mercer & NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review.
This and more reviews at https://chloesbooksblog.wordpress.com/
February 15, 2019
**Now Available — February 7, 2019**
Five thrilling ★★★★★'s
**‘I think I put my hand over her mouth . . .
’‘Don’t say that. Don’t even think that. You wouldn’t have done that.’
They sit very still in this room full of blood and sorrow – girls whose pulses burst in their veins and boom inside their ears. Their heads. Somewhere a clock ticks. A bird calls . . .
Three girls. One dead. She looks up at the mirror to see her reflection, face white and terrible – just below it, the line of shells on the blue-painted shelf. She can’t take it in. The shock of the familiar. The shells . . .
She gathered them on holiday just last summer, washed them very carefully at the kitchen sink and polished each until it shone. She remembers the sand between her toes, the smell of the sea and the salt on her lips. She remembers her father and her mother waving from their red-and-white-striped chairs on the beach and she remembers the feeling deep inside her – the sweep of complete happiness.
‘Oh my God. What are we going to do? Will I go to hell? Will I burn in hell?’
Her friend’s voice travels as if through water, muted and strange . She looks at the other girl – lips blue – and all of the blood, and she realises that the happiness on the beach was just a trick. A fleeting moment – gone now.
Like their childhoods.
Gone forever now.
********
The Promise by Teresa Driscoll is a thrilling novel with unexpected twists and tension you can cut with a knife! The opening hooked me right off and from then on I was glued to the pages. With earnest and sincere characters and an imaginative and fast paced storyline, this is a book that is difficult to put down.
Having read and enjoyed The Friend, I was really anticipating reading this one and I wasn't disappointed in the slightest!
I enjoyed it immensely and I highly recommend it!
Thanks to NetGalley, Thomas and Mercer, and Teresa Driscoll for an advanced, uncorrected digital copy for me read and review.
Five thrilling ★★★★★'s
**‘I think I put my hand over her mouth . . .
’‘Don’t say that. Don’t even think that. You wouldn’t have done that.’
They sit very still in this room full of blood and sorrow – girls whose pulses burst in their veins and boom inside their ears. Their heads. Somewhere a clock ticks. A bird calls . . .
Three girls. One dead. She looks up at the mirror to see her reflection, face white and terrible – just below it, the line of shells on the blue-painted shelf. She can’t take it in. The shock of the familiar. The shells . . .
She gathered them on holiday just last summer, washed them very carefully at the kitchen sink and polished each until it shone. She remembers the sand between her toes, the smell of the sea and the salt on her lips. She remembers her father and her mother waving from their red-and-white-striped chairs on the beach and she remembers the feeling deep inside her – the sweep of complete happiness.
‘Oh my God. What are we going to do? Will I go to hell? Will I burn in hell?’
Her friend’s voice travels as if through water, muted and strange . She looks at the other girl – lips blue – and all of the blood, and she realises that the happiness on the beach was just a trick. A fleeting moment – gone now.
Like their childhoods.
Gone forever now.
********
The Promise by Teresa Driscoll is a thrilling novel with unexpected twists and tension you can cut with a knife! The opening hooked me right off and from then on I was glued to the pages. With earnest and sincere characters and an imaginative and fast paced storyline, this is a book that is difficult to put down.
Having read and enjoyed The Friend, I was really anticipating reading this one and I wasn't disappointed in the slightest!
I enjoyed it immensely and I highly recommend it!
Thanks to NetGalley, Thomas and Mercer, and Teresa Driscoll for an advanced, uncorrected digital copy for me read and review.
May 15, 2019
I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The Promise was an okay kind of thriller book. At first, I was super into it but then everything just kind of felt like it was dragging along. It made the book a bit boring and I sort of lost interest in trying to solve the whole mystery.
Now at this point in a book, I would totally break out the wine. However, I was kind of sick when I was reading this (and other ARC's) so yeah.. no alcohol was consumed while reading this book.
Back to this book, well in it you will meet Beth, Sally, and Carol. These girls all met at a Catholic boarding school and become fast friends. They all dealt with something bad while there though and this whole thing changed their lives from that exact moment. Many years later, they are all finding out that the school they went to is finally closing.
Beth, Sally, and Carol were obviously hiding something. Whether it was the same thing they were hiding - I had no idea. However, we do learn what secret they were hiding throughout the book. Carol's secret was so freaking sad. I have no idea how she dealt with all of that on her own. Yes, the girls knew about some of it but they didn't know the whole thing. So yeah, she's super strong and can basically handle everything now.
Again, this book was okay. Even though I lost interest the characters and their story were intriguing to a point. I am glad that I took a chance on this book but at the same time, I'd be okay without knowing about it.
The Promise was an okay kind of thriller book. At first, I was super into it but then everything just kind of felt like it was dragging along. It made the book a bit boring and I sort of lost interest in trying to solve the whole mystery.
Now at this point in a book, I would totally break out the wine. However, I was kind of sick when I was reading this (and other ARC's) so yeah.. no alcohol was consumed while reading this book.
Back to this book, well in it you will meet Beth, Sally, and Carol. These girls all met at a Catholic boarding school and become fast friends. They all dealt with something bad while there though and this whole thing changed their lives from that exact moment. Many years later, they are all finding out that the school they went to is finally closing.
Beth, Sally, and Carol were obviously hiding something. Whether it was the same thing they were hiding - I had no idea. However, we do learn what secret they were hiding throughout the book. Carol's secret was so freaking sad. I have no idea how she dealt with all of that on her own. Yes, the girls knew about some of it but they didn't know the whole thing. So yeah, she's super strong and can basically handle everything now.
Again, this book was okay. Even though I lost interest the characters and their story were intriguing to a point. I am glad that I took a chance on this book but at the same time, I'd be okay without knowing about it.
April 18, 2019
I thought this book was really good. I liked the friendship between Beth, Sally and Carol. It had a lot of twists and turns and some that really shocked me. It was a story of friendship, love and heartbreak. I really felt for Carol especially after all she had been through. Some of the story was so sad but I’m glad it had a good ending. It definitely makes you think after reading it. It’s a book that will stay with you for a long time. Bar a few of them I liked most of the characters. They were loving, kind and all about family. A very good read and I am looking forward to reading more from this author.
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