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The Killer Inside
You love me. But do you really know me?
The addictive, darkly compelling new psychological thriller from the bestselling author of In a Cottage in a Wood.
A perfect childhood
You were the golden girl. The apple of your parents’ eyes. My beautiful, clever wife.
A perfect marriage
I would do anything for you. But some things about me must stay hidden.
A perfect liar
One summer afternoon, it all begins to unravel. Because I’m not the only one with terrible secrets to hide.
And when the truth comes out, it seems we both have blood on our hands…
The addictive, darkly compelling new psychological thriller from the bestselling author of In a Cottage in a Wood.
A perfect childhood
You were the golden girl. The apple of your parents’ eyes. My beautiful, clever wife.
A perfect marriage
I would do anything for you. But some things about me must stay hidden.
A perfect liar
One summer afternoon, it all begins to unravel. Because I’m not the only one with terrible secrets to hide.
And when the truth comes out, it seems we both have blood on our hands…
400 pages, Paperback
First published September 5, 2019
378 people are currently reading
2868 people want to read
About the author
Cass Green
5 books358 followersCass Green is the pseudonym of Caroline Green, an award-winning author of fiction for young people. Her first novel, Dark Ride won the Rona Young Adult Book of the Year and the Waverton Good Read Award. Cracks and Hold Your Breath garnered rave reviews and were shortlisted for eleven awards between them. She is the Writer in Residence at East Barnet School and teaches Writing for Children at City University. The Woman Next Door is her first novel for adults.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 222 reviews
September 3, 2019
This story follows Elliot and Anya who are happily married and madly in love. They come from different backgrounds. Anya is a privileged only child of Robert and Juila. Elliot was a bad boy who turned good. He was brought up on a council estate by bis mother. Both Elliot and Anya have secrets. They don't know each other as much as they think they do. There's also Irene, a mother who is struggling to understand why her two sons have disappeared.
The narrative moves between 2003, 2018, 2019 and 2021. We are told the events that take place by Elliot and Irene's point of view. It's clear from the beginning that Anya is a psychopath., it's the o ly way to describe her. The plot and characters are believable. The first half of the book , the pace is a bit slow and seems to drag on a bit. The second half is where the action starts. There are some great twists. I couldn't read the second half quick enough. I was determined to find out who was telling the truth (if any).
I would like to thank NetGalley, HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction and the author Cass Green for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The narrative moves between 2003, 2018, 2019 and 2021. We are told the events that take place by Elliot and Irene's point of view. It's clear from the beginning that Anya is a psychopath., it's the o ly way to describe her. The plot and characters are believable. The first half of the book , the pace is a bit slow and seems to drag on a bit. The second half is where the action starts. There are some great twists. I couldn't read the second half quick enough. I was determined to find out who was telling the truth (if any).
I would like to thank NetGalley, HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction and the author Cass Green for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 28, 2019
The Killer Inside was a very confusing book - for the first 50%. I was not sure if I would keep going as I had no idea what was happening and how the characters tied together. Once I hit 50% the story drastically changed and the pieces finally fell into place. I really enjoyed the shock of the second half of this book, it moved at a very quick pace and I read it in one sitting.
The story is told from multiple points of view and as I said before for a while I had no idea why we were hearing from them all. There is Elliot who is a teacher and happily married to Anya. That is until one day at a music festival she starts to act strangely and pulls away from him and their marriage. Elliot has no idea why. There is also Irene whose sons have both disappeared - one a few weeks ago and one in 2003. She has no idea why or where they have gone. It all sorts itself out in the second half of the book and things escalate quickly!
Thanks to Harper Collins UK and Netgalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased.
The story is told from multiple points of view and as I said before for a while I had no idea why we were hearing from them all. There is Elliot who is a teacher and happily married to Anya. That is until one day at a music festival she starts to act strangely and pulls away from him and their marriage. Elliot has no idea why. There is also Irene whose sons have both disappeared - one a few weeks ago and one in 2003. She has no idea why or where they have gone. It all sorts itself out in the second half of the book and things escalate quickly!
Thanks to Harper Collins UK and Netgalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased.
November 3, 2019
For once I did not read the blurb before starting this book, which made a refreshing change for me. I love Cass Green’s books so I knew I was in for a treat!!
We meet Anya and Elliott who are happily married but come from very different backgrounds. Anya comes from a privileged family, whereas Elliott was bought up in a council flat with his mother. The one thing they have in common is that they are both hiding secrets from each other!! Definitely what you see is not what you get with beautiful, sweet Anya!!!
The story is told from several people’s point of view. We meet Irene whose son Michael has disappeared after he finds out why his brother Liam vanished years before. We alternate between timelines as the pasts of Elliott and Anya are revealed.
I was gripped by this book and read it in one sitting. Love the twists and how all the stories fit together like a giant jigsaw puzzle.
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.
We meet Anya and Elliott who are happily married but come from very different backgrounds. Anya comes from a privileged family, whereas Elliott was bought up in a council flat with his mother. The one thing they have in common is that they are both hiding secrets from each other!! Definitely what you see is not what you get with beautiful, sweet Anya!!!
The story is told from several people’s point of view. We meet Irene whose son Michael has disappeared after he finds out why his brother Liam vanished years before. We alternate between timelines as the pasts of Elliott and Anya are revealed.
I was gripped by this book and read it in one sitting. Love the twists and how all the stories fit together like a giant jigsaw puzzle.
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.
August 30, 2019
This is a very easy to read psychological thriller that ticks all those boxes for those of us who love these books but is unpredictable enough to ‘keep you on your toes’
The book alternates between the present and past and focuses on the lead Anastazia ( Anya for short ) who is the sweetest, prettiest most charming evil psychopath ever and the repercussions of what she has and what she continues to do, much to the utter horror of her lovely hubby ( who guess what? has a secret too )
Great characters, believable plot that kept me hooked and a scary, realistic look at ‘what you see on the outside is not always what the reality is on the inside’
Did everything it should do and a bit more to make it stand out in a very busy genre
Enjoyable
8/10 4 Stars
November 19, 2019
THE KILLER INSIDE is a dark intriguing psychological thriller by bestselling author Cass Green, that had me gripped from start to finish.
Her books Include:
The Woman Next Door (2016)
In a Cottage in a Wood (2017)
Don’t You Cry (2018)
The Killer Inside (2019)
This novel revolves around a happily married couple, Elliot and Anastazia (Anya). But they come from different backgrounds. Anya is an only child of Robert and Julia, a well to do family. Elliot had been brought up on a council estate by his mother. There is also a mother, Irene who is dealing with her two sons that are missing?
But both Elliot and Anya have secrets!
Then novel alternates between present and past and told through Eliott and Irene’s point of view. But the reader can see that Anya is different…she is an evil psychopath.
You love me. But do you really know me?
I would do anything for you. But some things about me must stay hidden.
A perfect liar
One summer afternoon, it all begins to unravel. Because I’m not the only one with terrible secrets to hide.
And when the truth comes out, it seems we both have blood on our hands…
Everything is not what it seems…
This is a fast-paced book full of action, believable plot, flawed great characters with some situations a little far- fetched but makes for an excellent read. I couldn’t read this book fast enough, with great twists, where I was trying to figure out who was telling the truth and who was lying.
Many thanks to the author, HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction and NetGalley, for my digital copy.
Her books Include:
The Woman Next Door (2016)
In a Cottage in a Wood (2017)
Don’t You Cry (2018)
The Killer Inside (2019)
This novel revolves around a happily married couple, Elliot and Anastazia (Anya). But they come from different backgrounds. Anya is an only child of Robert and Julia, a well to do family. Elliot had been brought up on a council estate by his mother. There is also a mother, Irene who is dealing with her two sons that are missing?
But both Elliot and Anya have secrets!
Then novel alternates between present and past and told through Eliott and Irene’s point of view. But the reader can see that Anya is different…she is an evil psychopath.
You love me. But do you really know me?
I would do anything for you. But some things about me must stay hidden.
A perfect liar
One summer afternoon, it all begins to unravel. Because I’m not the only one with terrible secrets to hide.
And when the truth comes out, it seems we both have blood on our hands…
Everything is not what it seems…
This is a fast-paced book full of action, believable plot, flawed great characters with some situations a little far- fetched but makes for an excellent read. I couldn’t read this book fast enough, with great twists, where I was trying to figure out who was telling the truth and who was lying.
Many thanks to the author, HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction and NetGalley, for my digital copy.
October 25, 2019
I found this book to be a very enjoyable read. Even though it was pretty obvious when it came to the twists what they actually were I still really enjoyed it. I really liked Elliott and Irene and really warmed to them both. It was so well written and kept me hooked throughout. I can’t wait to read more from this author.
December 18, 2019
Audio 4.5 stars
Story 4 stars
Story 4 stars
September 5, 2019
★★★ 3.5 stars
How well do you know your loved ones and how far would you go to protect them?
A dark psychological thriller, THE KILLER INSIDE explores this very concept when Elliott, a primary school teacher, discovers his wife Anya may not be the woman he thought she was. Happily married, both are from vastly different backgrounds. Elliott was raised by his mother on a London council estate with his father in prison while Anya was the privileged - and maybe somewhat entitled - only child of Patrick and Julia. But both harbour guilty secrets.
Anya's parents adore Elliott and have always made him feel welcome. But a part of him always feels shut out as if he is not privy to the threefold strong unit that is Anya and her parents. So why is it Anya always goes running to them when something goes wrong? It is not uncommon for her to do so, leaving Elliott excluded and somewhat mystified. But Anya is the product of her parents' overindulgence, always giving her what she so desired and fixing any problems that she encountered. And it is a habit that has continued into her adulthood and marriage.
But Elliott has his own worries when he inadvertently makes an enemy of one of the dads at the school he teaches. Strange things begin to happen beyond Anya's distant behaviour as he is run off his bicycle and they are woken in the night by a brick being thrown through the window. Elliott wonders if Lee Bennett (the dad from the school) is behind it, having spent some time in prison he seemed the sort. But it's Anya's behaviour that puzzles me. If a brick was thrown through my window at 3am, I wouldn't be brushing it off, insisting that the police not be called and then promptly falling to sleep without a care while my husband is left sleepless to deal with it. I'd be frantic and unable to sleep. But Anya clearly didn't have the worries she claimed that plagued her. Of course Anya ran off to her parents, citing feeling unwell, where she stayed for the next several days.
Then one day Elliott decides to surprise Anya at work in London for lunch. But when he arrives he discovers she hasn't been there for at least a week with her employer granting her more time if needed during her "bereavement". What bereavement? Elliott is both puzzled and furious. What exactly is going on? What secrets is she keeping? Of course, her parents are privy to the entire spiel - why is he not surprised? Just how well does he know the woman he married?
Irene is a 73 year old widow living in Cambridge whose son Liam disappeared in 2003 without explanation beyond a postcard citing he "needed to sort his head out and don't try and find me". She hasn't heard anything from him since. Her worries intensify when her eldest son Michael neglects to visit as he usually does, and she hasn't heard from him for several weeks. In a silent panic, Irene decides to visit Michael's flat but upon arrival finds no response. She is directed to a free spirited woman called Rowan in an adjoining flat who may have some answers as to her son's whereabouts. But Rowan is worried too. She hasn't heard from Michael either. Her only clue is that he claimed he might finally know what happened to Liam.
Desperate for answers, Irene seeks Rowan's help in gaining access to Michael's flat upstairs. Inside, she finds nothing of real value apart from some receipts to a cafe in Casterbourne in Kent. Puzzled, Irene decides to take the train to Kent with a photo of Michael in the hope that someone somewhere has seen her son. But is she prepared for what she may find when she gets there?
Told primarily from the two perspectives of Elliott and Irene, we are also given a glimpse of the past with Liam in 2003 about halfway through. From Liam's narrative we are then given the remaining pieces that lead to his disappearance in 2003.
THE KILLER INSIDE is not entirely a slow burn as it is a slow starter, as for the first half of the book we are seemingly thoroughly confused as to how Elliott and Irene's stories even relate. Generally, for me, a book that takes this long to make sense is discarded long before it begins to. I can't say it is entirely engaging to begin with either because I really just wanted to smack Elliott for his naivete and strangle Anya for her pure selfishness. I felt more invested in Irene's story, rather than the saga that was Elliott and Anya, and yet we saw so little of her. However, once you reach that 50% mark, it all begins to fall into place and it's a race to the finish. I found it to be reminiscent of "Gone Girl" in which the first half uninteresting but the second half riveting.
Well-plotted throughout, despite the first half being slow and thoroughly confusing, THE KILLER INSIDE is somewhat addictive as the reader watches the story unfold in the same way one would witness a car crash - unable to look away.
My thoughts on THE KILLER INSIDE are as complex as the characters within it, but overall, once you hit that 50% mark it is a race to the end. My favourite character was Irene and I would have liked to see a little more of her. I really felt for her as her story unfolded. Elliott and Anya just did my head in. It is clear from the beginning that Anya is a psychopath. There is no other way to describe her. I couldn't understand what Elliott saw in her.
In some ways, it seems the reader knows the direction the story is taking. But then when all the secrets are finally revealed...where does that leave them all?
As secrets and lies are unraveled, loyalties are challenged as complex characters manipulate the outcome. Which begs the question - how well do we really know our loved ones?
I would like to thank #CassGreen, #NetGalley and #HarperCollinsUK for an ARC of #TheKillerInside in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
How well do you know your loved ones and how far would you go to protect them?
A dark psychological thriller, THE KILLER INSIDE explores this very concept when Elliott, a primary school teacher, discovers his wife Anya may not be the woman he thought she was. Happily married, both are from vastly different backgrounds. Elliott was raised by his mother on a London council estate with his father in prison while Anya was the privileged - and maybe somewhat entitled - only child of Patrick and Julia. But both harbour guilty secrets.
Anya's parents adore Elliott and have always made him feel welcome. But a part of him always feels shut out as if he is not privy to the threefold strong unit that is Anya and her parents. So why is it Anya always goes running to them when something goes wrong? It is not uncommon for her to do so, leaving Elliott excluded and somewhat mystified. But Anya is the product of her parents' overindulgence, always giving her what she so desired and fixing any problems that she encountered. And it is a habit that has continued into her adulthood and marriage.
But Elliott has his own worries when he inadvertently makes an enemy of one of the dads at the school he teaches. Strange things begin to happen beyond Anya's distant behaviour as he is run off his bicycle and they are woken in the night by a brick being thrown through the window. Elliott wonders if Lee Bennett (the dad from the school) is behind it, having spent some time in prison he seemed the sort. But it's Anya's behaviour that puzzles me. If a brick was thrown through my window at 3am, I wouldn't be brushing it off, insisting that the police not be called and then promptly falling to sleep without a care while my husband is left sleepless to deal with it. I'd be frantic and unable to sleep. But Anya clearly didn't have the worries she claimed that plagued her. Of course Anya ran off to her parents, citing feeling unwell, where she stayed for the next several days.
Then one day Elliott decides to surprise Anya at work in London for lunch. But when he arrives he discovers she hasn't been there for at least a week with her employer granting her more time if needed during her "bereavement". What bereavement? Elliott is both puzzled and furious. What exactly is going on? What secrets is she keeping? Of course, her parents are privy to the entire spiel - why is he not surprised? Just how well does he know the woman he married?
Irene is a 73 year old widow living in Cambridge whose son Liam disappeared in 2003 without explanation beyond a postcard citing he "needed to sort his head out and don't try and find me". She hasn't heard anything from him since. Her worries intensify when her eldest son Michael neglects to visit as he usually does, and she hasn't heard from him for several weeks. In a silent panic, Irene decides to visit Michael's flat but upon arrival finds no response. She is directed to a free spirited woman called Rowan in an adjoining flat who may have some answers as to her son's whereabouts. But Rowan is worried too. She hasn't heard from Michael either. Her only clue is that he claimed he might finally know what happened to Liam.
Desperate for answers, Irene seeks Rowan's help in gaining access to Michael's flat upstairs. Inside, she finds nothing of real value apart from some receipts to a cafe in Casterbourne in Kent. Puzzled, Irene decides to take the train to Kent with a photo of Michael in the hope that someone somewhere has seen her son. But is she prepared for what she may find when she gets there?
Told primarily from the two perspectives of Elliott and Irene, we are also given a glimpse of the past with Liam in 2003 about halfway through. From Liam's narrative we are then given the remaining pieces that lead to his disappearance in 2003.
THE KILLER INSIDE is not entirely a slow burn as it is a slow starter, as for the first half of the book we are seemingly thoroughly confused as to how Elliott and Irene's stories even relate. Generally, for me, a book that takes this long to make sense is discarded long before it begins to. I can't say it is entirely engaging to begin with either because I really just wanted to smack Elliott for his naivete and strangle Anya for her pure selfishness. I felt more invested in Irene's story, rather than the saga that was Elliott and Anya, and yet we saw so little of her. However, once you reach that 50% mark, it all begins to fall into place and it's a race to the finish. I found it to be reminiscent of "Gone Girl" in which the first half uninteresting but the second half riveting.
Well-plotted throughout, despite the first half being slow and thoroughly confusing, THE KILLER INSIDE is somewhat addictive as the reader watches the story unfold in the same way one would witness a car crash - unable to look away.
My thoughts on THE KILLER INSIDE are as complex as the characters within it, but overall, once you hit that 50% mark it is a race to the end. My favourite character was Irene and I would have liked to see a little more of her. I really felt for her as her story unfolded. Elliott and Anya just did my head in. It is clear from the beginning that Anya is a psychopath. There is no other way to describe her. I couldn't understand what Elliott saw in her.
In some ways, it seems the reader knows the direction the story is taking. But then when all the secrets are finally revealed...where does that leave them all?
As secrets and lies are unraveled, loyalties are challenged as complex characters manipulate the outcome. Which begs the question - how well do we really know our loved ones?
I would like to thank #CassGreen, #NetGalley and #HarperCollinsUK for an ARC of #TheKillerInside in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
July 17, 2020
A domestic thriller that explores "do you really know the person you love?" A good story with really flawed characters that kept me turning the pages. Didn't like the bowtie ending, but it was enough of a story to keep me lingering over my morning coffee .
Goodreads review published 17/07/20
Goodreads review published 17/07/20
September 4, 2019
My thanks to Harper Collins and NetGalley for my ARC of The Killer Inside by Cass Green. I had previously read her thriller The Woman Next Door so had high expectations and...
Outstanding! What a psychological thriller this is. Two parallel story lines with no apparent connection. Elliott is married to Anya, a seemingly happy couple but both with dark secrets. Irene, a lonely lady - her husband is dead, son Liam disappeared in 2003 and now it appears that her other son Michael has committed suicide. Chapters switch from one storyline to the other, layers slowly unfurling. And then... one innocent location name - is that the link?
What do Julia and Patrick know about their daughters past that Elliott doesn't? What occurred in Elliot's past that he is so ashamed of? Did Michael really commit suicide?
A masterclass in suspense and menace as the plots intertwine and result in a stunning thriller of twists and turns and a horrifying reveal come the end.
Hats off to Cass Green for another pulse-racing, breathtaking thriller!
Outstanding! What a psychological thriller this is. Two parallel story lines with no apparent connection. Elliott is married to Anya, a seemingly happy couple but both with dark secrets. Irene, a lonely lady - her husband is dead, son Liam disappeared in 2003 and now it appears that her other son Michael has committed suicide. Chapters switch from one storyline to the other, layers slowly unfurling. And then... one innocent location name - is that the link?
What do Julia and Patrick know about their daughters past that Elliott doesn't? What occurred in Elliot's past that he is so ashamed of? Did Michael really commit suicide?
A masterclass in suspense and menace as the plots intertwine and result in a stunning thriller of twists and turns and a horrifying reveal come the end.
Hats off to Cass Green for another pulse-racing, breathtaking thriller!
October 30, 2024
it’s the story of happily married couple Elliot and Anya. The couple come from very different backgrounds and Elliot constantly feels that he is not good enough for the more privileged Anya who is adored by her parents. Elliot’s upbringing was tough and he has some secrets he would really prefer stayed hidden. In his eyes and those of her parents’ Anya is perfect and can do no wrong. If you are beginning to smell a rat, you may well be on to something.
The narrative moves between 2003, 2018, 2019 and 2021 and it is told from the viewpoint of Elliot and another character: Irene. Irene’s search for her missing sons bring her into contact with both Anya and Elliot and secrets and lies, that not only Elliot is trying to keep concealed, begin to emerge. Elliot starts to realise that although he loves Anya unreservedly, he may not know her as well as he thought he did. He would do anything for her but maybe that will not be enough.
The novel is very well plotted and the characters are cleverly drawn. I especially liked Irene, a gentle soul who is drawn into events way beyond her experience.
The narrative moves between 2003, 2018, 2019 and 2021 and it is told from the viewpoint of Elliot and another character: Irene. Irene’s search for her missing sons bring her into contact with both Anya and Elliot and secrets and lies, that not only Elliot is trying to keep concealed, begin to emerge. Elliot starts to realise that although he loves Anya unreservedly, he may not know her as well as he thought he did. He would do anything for her but maybe that will not be enough.
The novel is very well plotted and the characters are cleverly drawn. I especially liked Irene, a gentle soul who is drawn into events way beyond her experience.
September 11, 2019
This thriller started off pretty well but as it went on I became more and more bored.
At the start I was really engrossed in the story and I was invested in trying to guess how the characters on the different timelines related to each other but quite quickly it became obvious that there wasn't much to guess.
I pretty much saw the ending coming, I feel like it was laid out way to easily for the reader. I was expecting a big twist at the end but there wasn't one which was a shame.
I also thought the ending was a bit far fetched and ridiculous.
I did like the writing and it was a quick book to read.
But unfortunately I was quite disappointed with this one, as I had high hopes but it turned out to be another average thriller
At the start I was really engrossed in the story and I was invested in trying to guess how the characters on the different timelines related to each other but quite quickly it became obvious that there wasn't much to guess.
I pretty much saw the ending coming, I feel like it was laid out way to easily for the reader. I was expecting a big twist at the end but there wasn't one which was a shame.
I also thought the ending was a bit far fetched and ridiculous.
I did like the writing and it was a quick book to read.
But unfortunately I was quite disappointed with this one, as I had high hopes but it turned out to be another average thriller
August 31, 2019
Cass Green has become a must-read author over the course of a few books, so I was very happy to get my hands on an advance copy of her latest.
Elliott and Anya are happily married, despite coming from very different backgrounds. Anya is the privileged only child of adoring parents; Elliott’s start in life was rather less auspicious but he’s made good, qualifying as a teacher and marrying the woman of his dreams. Now all they need is a baby to make things entirely perfect.
But both Elliott and Anya are hiding secrets. Maybe they don’t know each other as well as they think.
The story is told largely through Elliott’s eyes and he was a very believable and engaging character. We also see events from others’ viewpoints - largely Irene, another likeable and believable character who is struggling to make sense of the disappearance of her two adult sons, determined to uncover the truth despite being way out of her depth most of the time.
The Killer Inside was an incredibly readable and addictive story which I thoroughly enjoyed. There were a couple of points I’m not sure I fully understood, but that may well be my own fault for galloping through so fast! In the saturated psychological thriller market, Cass Green is definitely one of the standouts.
Elliott and Anya are happily married, despite coming from very different backgrounds. Anya is the privileged only child of adoring parents; Elliott’s start in life was rather less auspicious but he’s made good, qualifying as a teacher and marrying the woman of his dreams. Now all they need is a baby to make things entirely perfect.
But both Elliott and Anya are hiding secrets. Maybe they don’t know each other as well as they think.
The story is told largely through Elliott’s eyes and he was a very believable and engaging character. We also see events from others’ viewpoints - largely Irene, another likeable and believable character who is struggling to make sense of the disappearance of her two adult sons, determined to uncover the truth despite being way out of her depth most of the time.
The Killer Inside was an incredibly readable and addictive story which I thoroughly enjoyed. There were a couple of points I’m not sure I fully understood, but that may well be my own fault for galloping through so fast! In the saturated psychological thriller market, Cass Green is definitely one of the standouts.
July 19, 2020
Was riveting! The ending was bit of a letdown but otherwise a page-turner!
August 7, 2020
I don't know why this type of thriller is so popular. Very dark and evil but the details are fuzzy, not carefully scripted like the detective stories I prefer where every detail is accounted for.
August 21, 2019
Thank you to Netgally and the publisher for sending me an ARC of this book.
This is my second Cass Green book and won't be my last.
In this thrilling story we follow multiple points of views:
Elliot: Happily married to a woman called Anya, during the summer he gets his hands on some sought after festival tickets where their favourite band Foo Fighters are playing, both Elliot and Anya are excited to be going, however something occurs at the festival that causes Anya to act strange and her behaviour seems to become stranger and stranger everyday after, what has happened to make Anya behave this way? what is she hiding?.
Irene: Irene's son Liam went missing in 2003, he disappeared without explanation just a note saying he needed to sort his head out and Irene hasn't heard from him since. Irene's other son Micheal hasn't made contact for a few weeks either, Irene begins to panic and can't bare to have two sons vanished, she starts on a mission to find out what happened to him, what will she discover?
Liam 2003: We piece together the events that lead up to Liam's disappearance in 2003.
These story lines eventually come together in what is a page turning tale that I couldn't put down. I really feel like Cass Green has progressed as a writer and you can really see this in her writing of this novel, I couldn't put this book down at all and although I kinda had an idea of what had happened I didn't know the how or why. My only complaint of this book was that I felt a couple of plot points weren't tied up at the end and I was left wanting to know what actually happened and how we got there. Apart from that though I really really enjoyed this thriller and would highly recommenced it and read anything else from this author in the future.
This is my second Cass Green book and won't be my last.
In this thrilling story we follow multiple points of views:
Elliot: Happily married to a woman called Anya, during the summer he gets his hands on some sought after festival tickets where their favourite band Foo Fighters are playing, both Elliot and Anya are excited to be going, however something occurs at the festival that causes Anya to act strange and her behaviour seems to become stranger and stranger everyday after, what has happened to make Anya behave this way? what is she hiding?.
Irene: Irene's son Liam went missing in 2003, he disappeared without explanation just a note saying he needed to sort his head out and Irene hasn't heard from him since. Irene's other son Micheal hasn't made contact for a few weeks either, Irene begins to panic and can't bare to have two sons vanished, she starts on a mission to find out what happened to him, what will she discover?
Liam 2003: We piece together the events that lead up to Liam's disappearance in 2003.
These story lines eventually come together in what is a page turning tale that I couldn't put down. I really feel like Cass Green has progressed as a writer and you can really see this in her writing of this novel, I couldn't put this book down at all and although I kinda had an idea of what had happened I didn't know the how or why. My only complaint of this book was that I felt a couple of plot points weren't tied up at the end and I was left wanting to know what actually happened and how we got there. Apart from that though I really really enjoyed this thriller and would highly recommenced it and read anything else from this author in the future.
September 5, 2019
Another enjoyable, gripping read from this author.
I really liked this book, despite it being a tad confusing at times. It’s a tale of relationships, family and trust, with some unexplained disappearance and much tension and feeling of foreboding throughout.
The storyline follows a number of characters, not all of whom become clear for a while, but, stick with it as the threads come together to a satisfying conclusion.
I was definitely kept sufficiently intrigued to keep reading and I never got too confused - I enjoy a book that makes me concentrate and keeps me on my toes and this did.
I’ve really struggled with a rating as, although I enjoyed it and would recommend, i almost gave up a couple of times. So, in summary a 3* Good Read from me.
Thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollins UK for the opportunity to preview.
I really liked this book, despite it being a tad confusing at times. It’s a tale of relationships, family and trust, with some unexplained disappearance and much tension and feeling of foreboding throughout.
The storyline follows a number of characters, not all of whom become clear for a while, but, stick with it as the threads come together to a satisfying conclusion.
I was definitely kept sufficiently intrigued to keep reading and I never got too confused - I enjoy a book that makes me concentrate and keeps me on my toes and this did.
I’ve really struggled with a rating as, although I enjoyed it and would recommend, i almost gave up a couple of times. So, in summary a 3* Good Read from me.
Thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollins UK for the opportunity to preview.
September 4, 2025
the plot twists were the most unsurprising things ever
like, we knew she was a psycho from page 1, ofc she was lying
like, we knew she was a psycho from page 1, ofc she was lying
December 16, 2019
4 stars audio
3.5 stars story
3.5 stars story
May 7, 2020
Enjoyed it.
Clever story.
At first the link between some of the characters isn't apparent but as the story unfolds you can understand the relationships.
Would read more by Cass Green.
One small issue...I downloaded the ebook from Overdrive and some of the chapters weren't formatted properly. The last line had fallen off the page.
Clever story.
At first the link between some of the characters isn't apparent but as the story unfolds you can understand the relationships.
Would read more by Cass Green.
One small issue...I downloaded the ebook from Overdrive and some of the chapters weren't formatted properly. The last line had fallen off the page.
January 30, 2020
Oof. Not sure who is rating this book higher than 2 stars. There is no mystery. It's extremely slow. No idea what is even happening for the first half of the book, but I can't not finish a book, it gives me anxiety to feel like something is unfinished lolol, so I had to finish this painful book just to get to the very anti-climatic and easy to predict ending. I'm a pretty easy rater too, idk, too many other good books to read :)
August 24, 2019
this was my first Cass Green book but won't be my last. At first the characters were confusing but this soon went. The book is a great read and I'd recommend highly. Complex characters and manipulation are a great combination
December 11, 2019
Amazing psychological thriller. This follows Anya and Elliott - a married couple who come from different backgrounds. How well do you know someone?
I could not put this book down. It had me enthralled from the first page and the ending was so heart warming. Highly recommend.
I could not put this book down. It had me enthralled from the first page and the ending was so heart warming. Highly recommend.
September 15, 2019
Elliot believes he has a good marriage to Anya, until one day at a music festival it all changes. He had something to hide but he never imagined that Anya did as well.
Then there is Irene, with one son who disappeared many years ago, she is devastated when her second suddenly disappears too.
Told from the perspectives of Elliot and Irene, the first half half of the novel didn’t seem to have a purpose. Even though the story flowed well, I was trying to work out how it all tied in. This changed in the second half, the pace picked up as the story unfolded and it all tied in eventually.
I did enjoy this novel but definately not as much as the authors previous novel.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy to read.
Then there is Irene, with one son who disappeared many years ago, she is devastated when her second suddenly disappears too.
Told from the perspectives of Elliot and Irene, the first half half of the novel didn’t seem to have a purpose. Even though the story flowed well, I was trying to work out how it all tied in. This changed in the second half, the pace picked up as the story unfolded and it all tied in eventually.
I did enjoy this novel but definately not as much as the authors previous novel.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy to read.
March 17, 2020
3 out of 5 stars
Honestly I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about this book but I had a credit and this had pretty good reviews so I decided to pick this up. This was not bad thriller necessarily but I really didn't start to enjoy the book until we were about half way through. I can't put my finger on exactly why it took me so long to get into it. It may be that it took a while for me to warm up to Elliot. He was just not very likable at first. I did like Irene pretty quickly and I felt bad for her almost right away. I guess for me I have to find something special about a character to be able to bond with them and it was hard with Elliot at first. This is still worth a read or listen.
Honestly I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about this book but I had a credit and this had pretty good reviews so I decided to pick this up. This was not bad thriller necessarily but I really didn't start to enjoy the book until we were about half way through. I can't put my finger on exactly why it took me so long to get into it. It may be that it took a while for me to warm up to Elliot. He was just not very likable at first. I did like Irene pretty quickly and I felt bad for her almost right away. I guess for me I have to find something special about a character to be able to bond with them and it was hard with Elliot at first. This is still worth a read or listen.
July 15, 2020
For more than one third of this book, I had no idea what was going on! The storyline and POV jump from person to person and through different timelines. While I normally enjoy this, I found this one very confusing. Maybe that was the author's intent?
Overall, I liked it but not as much as her earlier books, In a Cottage In a Wood and Don’t You Cry.
Overall, I liked it but not as much as her earlier books, In a Cottage In a Wood and Don’t You Cry.
November 19, 2019
I received an ARC copy of this book via net galley and Harper Collins in exchange for an honest review.
Populated almost entirely by people with shadowed pasts or presents there are a lot of secrets in this book. Elliot and Anya are married and trying for a baby - in fact they are quite good at trying- or so Elliot says. He has never felt quite good enough for Anya but as things start to go wrong it seems Anya's life is not the perfect one he thought. Like many crime books we get the end event before the narrative hops back a year to the events that lead up to that scene.
For me it lacked complexity and some drive perhaps felt a bit tame for a mystery thriller. I wanted a little more
Populated almost entirely by people with shadowed pasts or presents there are a lot of secrets in this book. Elliot and Anya are married and trying for a baby - in fact they are quite good at trying- or so Elliot says. He has never felt quite good enough for Anya but as things start to go wrong it seems Anya's life is not the perfect one he thought. Like many crime books we get the end event before the narrative hops back a year to the events that lead up to that scene.
For me it lacked complexity and some drive perhaps felt a bit tame for a mystery thriller. I wanted a little more
February 19, 2021
This started off great and I was really into it (u could feel the plot building) and then got sooo boring with nothing happening. The last 30 pages were exciting (altho very random) but by that point I had completely lost interest in the characters and the story. I don't think I would read another book by this author.
January 5, 2020
Overall, this was a good thriller that kept me turning the pages. The first half of the book was a bit confusing with too many alternate story lines introduced that seemingly had no connection. Once the connection was clear, the book flowed much better. It did have some twists that surprised me which I always appreciate in a thriller. I would definitely read more by this author.
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