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The Sleepover
It was meant to be the best night of her son's life . . .
Was it his last?
Izzy is thrilled when her shy, 12-year-old son is invited for his first sleepover. Nick has spent years being isolated and picked on; he deserves a night of fun and friendship.
But Izzy is also nervous: it's a year to the day since bullies put Nick in hospital. She drops him off at his new best friend's house with mixed feelings. Arriving to collect him the following morning, her worst fears come true . . .
Nick isn't there.
Who has taken her son?
And will she ever get him back?
A gripping and emotional psychological thriller perfect for fans of Karen Cole's Deliver Me, Lesley Kara's The Rumour and Nuala Ellwood's Day of the Accident. From the Top Ten ebook bestselling author of The Choice.
Was it his last?
Izzy is thrilled when her shy, 12-year-old son is invited for his first sleepover. Nick has spent years being isolated and picked on; he deserves a night of fun and friendship.
But Izzy is also nervous: it's a year to the day since bullies put Nick in hospital. She drops him off at his new best friend's house with mixed feelings. Arriving to collect him the following morning, her worst fears come true . . .
Nick isn't there.
Who has taken her son?
And will she ever get him back?
A gripping and emotional psychological thriller perfect for fans of Karen Cole's Deliver Me, Lesley Kara's The Rumour and Nuala Ellwood's Day of the Accident. From the Top Ten ebook bestselling author of The Choice.
280 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 7, 2019
35 people are currently reading
414 people want to read
About the author
Samantha King
5 books81 followersSamantha King writes psychological suspense novels and lives in west London with her husband and two young children.
As an English graduate and lifelong bookworm, becoming an author was always Samantha’s dream. This passion for storytelling led her first to a career in publishing, managing a commercial fiction imprint for a global publisher. After fifteen years, she abandoned office life in favour of working from home as a freelance editor for various publishers and literary agents.
Samantha has always loved books that explore the hidden depths of the heart and mind, and she decided to satisfy her growing interest in human psychology by qualifying as a psychotherapist. This deepened her fascination with the hopes and fears that make people tick, which again reawakened her writing ambitions. Working around – and inspired by – a busy family life, she finally sat down and wrote her debut novel, THE PERFECT FAMILY.
Samantha writes in a hut at the end of her garden with a very affectionate Cavachon dog for company, but she keeps in touch with the world through:
Twitter: @SamKingBooks
Facebook: @SamanthaKingBooks
As an English graduate and lifelong bookworm, becoming an author was always Samantha’s dream. This passion for storytelling led her first to a career in publishing, managing a commercial fiction imprint for a global publisher. After fifteen years, she abandoned office life in favour of working from home as a freelance editor for various publishers and literary agents.
Samantha has always loved books that explore the hidden depths of the heart and mind, and she decided to satisfy her growing interest in human psychology by qualifying as a psychotherapist. This deepened her fascination with the hopes and fears that make people tick, which again reawakened her writing ambitions. Working around – and inspired by – a busy family life, she finally sat down and wrote her debut novel, THE PERFECT FAMILY.
Samantha writes in a hut at the end of her garden with a very affectionate Cavachon dog for company, but she keeps in touch with the world through:
Twitter: @SamKingBooks
Facebook: @SamanthaKingBooks
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 102 reviews
July 6, 2020
Izzy is thrilled but nervous when her shy, 12-year-old son is invited for his first sleepover. Nick has been bullied mercilessly in the past and so Izzy had reservations about the sleepover but decided to give in .Arriving to pick him the following morning, her worst nightmare comes true as Nick is missing and no one at the sleepover saw him leave.It seems as if he simply disappeared,without trace.. . .
The Sleepover by Samantha King is every parents worst nightmare come true. This is well written with skillfully drawn characters and a tightly woven plot packed with twists and turns and an unexpected ending
I would like to thank Kensington Books & 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 Sleepover by Samantha King is every parents worst nightmare come true. This is well written with skillfully drawn characters and a tightly woven plot packed with twists and turns and an unexpected ending
I would like to thank Kensington Books & 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/
April 15, 2022
This was definitely one book where I was judging it by it's cover.
A teddy bear left on the floor instantly conjured up thoughts of a little boy disappearing at say their grandparents house, instead the missing child is infact Twelve years old who'd stayed at a friend's house.
The story focuses on Izzy distress as her son Nick has vanished.
We do learn that Nick had been subject to some serious bullying the previous year and whilst Izzy's overprotectivness is commendable - it just seemed a little too heightened to serve the plot.
In fairness the author makes you care for Nick's plight especially as the reasons why he was targeted by bullies was practically cruel.
Samantha King admits that she chose Twelve as an in between age, but there were instances where the kid didn't own a smartphone felt a little farfetched.
Definitely entertaining but nothing memorable.
A teddy bear left on the floor instantly conjured up thoughts of a little boy disappearing at say their grandparents house, instead the missing child is infact Twelve years old who'd stayed at a friend's house.
The story focuses on Izzy distress as her son Nick has vanished.
We do learn that Nick had been subject to some serious bullying the previous year and whilst Izzy's overprotectivness is commendable - it just seemed a little too heightened to serve the plot.
In fairness the author makes you care for Nick's plight especially as the reasons why he was targeted by bullies was practically cruel.
Samantha King admits that she chose Twelve as an in between age, but there were instances where the kid didn't own a smartphone felt a little farfetched.
Definitely entertaining but nothing memorable.
June 29, 2020
Review coming soon.
April 9, 2020
Almost every day parents all over the world face a battle with their consciences over the safety of their children. The battle over how to keep them safe whilst also granting them the freedom that they need to grow up into independent individuals. It's easy when they are little but as they grow older they want to be more adventurous and have more life enhancing experiences.
Isobel (izzy) had her doubts about allowing her twelve year old son Nick to go to the sleepover at his friend Adrian's house. She knew that she was being overprotective but she felt that she had every right to be considering what had happened at the school gates a year ago.
But after a heated conversation with her ex husband Craig,she backtracks and decides to allow Nick to have some fun with his school friends.
Only that one small decision plunges Isobel into every parents worst nightmare because the next morning when she goes to pick Nick up,he isn't there. The other boys insist that they don't know where he is,no one saw him leave, he has simply disappeared,without trace.
Where is Nick? What happened on that fateful night? How many lies and threads will the police have to untangle before they uncover the shocking truth?
This utterly enthralling thriller is voiced entirely from Isobel's perspective, a complex, relatable character who due to one small decision found her life torn apart and threatened. She found herself being constantly lied to and having no idea who she could trust. Throughout the book Isobel took us back into her past where we learnt about the tragic fate of her first husband, the early days of her relationship with Craig and events before and after the terrible incident at the school gates. There was quite a number of untrustworthy characters scattered throughout this story,many of whom were not who they appeared to be,lived in denial and wouldn't have recognised the truth even if it had jumped up and slapped them round the face. I loved DCI Maxwell and his team, each one of them was a likeable, dedicated individual who really cared about Isobel and the fate of her missing son.
Wow...just wow, I really really enjoyed this well written, tightly plotted, intense thriller that had me totally captivated from the first page. I had no idea what it was about when I requested it because there was no synopsis on Netgalley. I only requested it because I really liked the cover and I'm so glad that I did. It's packed full of twists and turns,the characters were believable and the story has a totally unexpected twist. The author cleverly manipulates the reader into thinking they know the truth and then throws in a twist that completely blows your theory into tiny little pieces. I would love to watch a film or tv mini series adaptation of this book and it is definitely going to be one of my favourite reads of this year. Worth far more than five stars and very very highly recommended.
Isobel (izzy) had her doubts about allowing her twelve year old son Nick to go to the sleepover at his friend Adrian's house. She knew that she was being overprotective but she felt that she had every right to be considering what had happened at the school gates a year ago.
But after a heated conversation with her ex husband Craig,she backtracks and decides to allow Nick to have some fun with his school friends.
Only that one small decision plunges Isobel into every parents worst nightmare because the next morning when she goes to pick Nick up,he isn't there. The other boys insist that they don't know where he is,no one saw him leave, he has simply disappeared,without trace.
Where is Nick? What happened on that fateful night? How many lies and threads will the police have to untangle before they uncover the shocking truth?
This utterly enthralling thriller is voiced entirely from Isobel's perspective, a complex, relatable character who due to one small decision found her life torn apart and threatened. She found herself being constantly lied to and having no idea who she could trust. Throughout the book Isobel took us back into her past where we learnt about the tragic fate of her first husband, the early days of her relationship with Craig and events before and after the terrible incident at the school gates. There was quite a number of untrustworthy characters scattered throughout this story,many of whom were not who they appeared to be,lived in denial and wouldn't have recognised the truth even if it had jumped up and slapped them round the face. I loved DCI Maxwell and his team, each one of them was a likeable, dedicated individual who really cared about Isobel and the fate of her missing son.
Wow...just wow, I really really enjoyed this well written, tightly plotted, intense thriller that had me totally captivated from the first page. I had no idea what it was about when I requested it because there was no synopsis on Netgalley. I only requested it because I really liked the cover and I'm so glad that I did. It's packed full of twists and turns,the characters were believable and the story has a totally unexpected twist. The author cleverly manipulates the reader into thinking they know the truth and then throws in a twist that completely blows your theory into tiny little pieces. I would love to watch a film or tv mini series adaptation of this book and it is definitely going to be one of my favourite reads of this year. Worth far more than five stars and very very highly recommended.
October 18, 2020
Izzy is a very protective mom. A year ago, her now 13 year old son, was bullied something awful from school and eventually was beaten up the first day he went to school by himself. They have both healed, but still wary, although they are now in a new school and Nick seems to be making friends.
The latest bone of contention between Nick and his mom is an invitation to a sleep over with 2 or 3 others from school ... those he calls friends. Mom finally relents and consents to him going, but she is still extremely nervous. Doesn't help with her ex-husband (Nick's step-father) left her claiming Izzy was neglectful last year.
She had a long sleepless night and was so happy to see the sun rising .. now all she had to do was wait a couple of hours and she could pick up her son.
But her son isn't there. His coat is there ... his backpack is there .. most alarming, his inhaler is there ... but the boy is missing and no one in the house has seen him leave.
A mother's worst nightmare come true .... did someone take her son?
Twists and turns keep the uncertainty about what may happen at a high level of suspense. The suspects are many and varied ... the boy's friends ... their parents ..... a well liked teacher .... old friend of the mom's ... the step-dad .. even the mother herself. The characters are deliciously drawn, each pulling the readers' eyes to watch and asking the question.. is he / she lying? Did he /she take the boy? The ending was unexpected and explosive.
The latest bone of contention between Nick and his mom is an invitation to a sleep over with 2 or 3 others from school ... those he calls friends. Mom finally relents and consents to him going, but she is still extremely nervous. Doesn't help with her ex-husband (Nick's step-father) left her claiming Izzy was neglectful last year.
She had a long sleepless night and was so happy to see the sun rising .. now all she had to do was wait a couple of hours and she could pick up her son.
But her son isn't there. His coat is there ... his backpack is there .. most alarming, his inhaler is there ... but the boy is missing and no one in the house has seen him leave.
A mother's worst nightmare come true .... did someone take her son?
Twists and turns keep the uncertainty about what may happen at a high level of suspense. The suspects are many and varied ... the boy's friends ... their parents ..... a well liked teacher .... old friend of the mom's ... the step-dad .. even the mother herself. The characters are deliciously drawn, each pulling the readers' eyes to watch and asking the question.. is he / she lying? Did he /she take the boy? The ending was unexpected and explosive.
February 23, 2020
I really struggled to finish this book and have to say that it seemed to be marketed under the wrong genre. It was more a YA book I think. The mother was an unrealistic character and the situations she found herself in were just as unlikely
If you are perhaps relaxing on a beach or want to while away a couple of hours then give it a try but not enough substance for me.
If you are perhaps relaxing on a beach or want to while away a couple of hours then give it a try but not enough substance for me.
August 24, 2020
The Sleepover
This book has a very familiar premise and it's a genre that has been done many times over...the missing child storyline has been done often.
It's very brave for an author to tackle this one and the storyline was definitely an intriguing one, told well and although the topic matter felt familiar it did have an originality about it which was great.
I know these type of books are showing someone at the worst time in their lives but I really struggled with the characters in this one.
Isobel was just...awful and bland. I hated her "my son" thing and that she resisted other people caring about him. That was really odd and although I very much understand helicopter mums (I imagine I would be one myself!)...hers felt wrong...not that she loved Nick so much she was protecting him out of love but she loved him so much she was protecting him for herself...which just came across as weird and strange.
That one scene where she was trying to send Craig home just confirmed to me she was an awful person and as I was struggling with her anyway and all I knew about her personality was she was obsessed with her son...it did make the second half of the book a bit of a slog.
I think telling us the exact events that happened a year ago, rather than just snippets would have really helped. I think we needed to understand Isobel more and if we saw the full event of what happened on that fateful day, a year ago, we may have had a better grasp on why she was the way she was. I understand that dropping snippets of information is a common storyline feature but I think it was harmful to the flow of the story here because that was information we required rather than just being interested in.
I also think the story would have been helped by more fleshed out characters....I didn't really understand Katie's betrayal or why she stopped caring about Isobel and what happened with Craig fully. I think fleshing out those storylines would have been better early on...for us to give us something about the characters to work with. I felt by the halfway point that I didn't really know much about anyone.
I think the whole premise would have worked better with 15 or 16 year olds rather than 12 year olds. It just didn't sit right with me at all.
I did not enjoy the conclusion at all. I thought it was far fetched even for these kind of thriller books and again had we known the characters more earlier in the book then any surprises at the end would have had more meaning.
I also thought the vagueness in the ending...taking forever to find out who survived etc made the story stutter. The conclusion would have worked better being more simplistic and straight forward.
Overall the book was interesting and I am glad I read it but I wish I could have connected with the characters.
Thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book has a very familiar premise and it's a genre that has been done many times over...the missing child storyline has been done often.
It's very brave for an author to tackle this one and the storyline was definitely an intriguing one, told well and although the topic matter felt familiar it did have an originality about it which was great.
I know these type of books are showing someone at the worst time in their lives but I really struggled with the characters in this one.
Isobel was just...awful and bland. I hated her "my son" thing and that she resisted other people caring about him. That was really odd and although I very much understand helicopter mums (I imagine I would be one myself!)...hers felt wrong...not that she loved Nick so much she was protecting him out of love but she loved him so much she was protecting him for herself...which just came across as weird and strange.
That one scene where she was trying to send Craig home just confirmed to me she was an awful person and as I was struggling with her anyway and all I knew about her personality was she was obsessed with her son...it did make the second half of the book a bit of a slog.
I think telling us the exact events that happened a year ago, rather than just snippets would have really helped. I think we needed to understand Isobel more and if we saw the full event of what happened on that fateful day, a year ago, we may have had a better grasp on why she was the way she was. I understand that dropping snippets of information is a common storyline feature but I think it was harmful to the flow of the story here because that was information we required rather than just being interested in.
I also think the story would have been helped by more fleshed out characters....I didn't really understand Katie's betrayal or why she stopped caring about Isobel and what happened with Craig fully. I think fleshing out those storylines would have been better early on...for us to give us something about the characters to work with. I felt by the halfway point that I didn't really know much about anyone.
I think the whole premise would have worked better with 15 or 16 year olds rather than 12 year olds. It just didn't sit right with me at all.
I did not enjoy the conclusion at all. I thought it was far fetched even for these kind of thriller books and again had we known the characters more earlier in the book then any surprises at the end would have had more meaning.
I also thought the vagueness in the ending...taking forever to find out who survived etc made the story stutter. The conclusion would have worked better being more simplistic and straight forward.
Overall the book was interesting and I am glad I read it but I wish I could have connected with the characters.
Thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
February 20, 2020
What the hell did I just read? Actually no I gave up 97% of the way through. I’ve had enough. The Sleepover is a terrible book,
If you like thrillers full of interesting characters, exciting plots and clever twists then stay away from The Sleepover. This book is every cliche / trope you could wish for. There’s too much going on and it’s just not interesting. Please save your sanity and stay away from this book.
If you like thrillers full of interesting characters, exciting plots and clever twists then stay away from The Sleepover. This book is every cliche / trope you could wish for. There’s too much going on and it’s just not interesting. Please save your sanity and stay away from this book.
December 19, 2019
Very long winded! The story that sounded so amazing when reading the write up was pretty average in my opinion. I also found it a bit unrealistic.
February 27, 2020
★★★ 3.5 stars
My first book by Samantha King, THE SLEEPOVER is every parent's worst nightmare. Your child goes to a sleepover and you return to collect him the next morning only to find he isn't there! His friends aren't saying anything, the mother is oblivious and you're pulling your hair out racking your brains thinking where your child could possibly be!
This is what happens to Izzy Brooke and her 12 year old son Nick.
Izzy has always been protective of her son ever since he was born, particularly after returning home one afternoon when, nearing the end of her pregnancy, she found the love of her life and father of her unborn child had hanged himself. Despite her grief she vowed to be the best mother she could be to her son and protect him at all costs. But Nick needed a father and so with the help of her best friend Katie, Izzy joined a dating site and met Craig who she later married. Craig was a good step-father to Nick. He loved him like he was his own flesh and blood, and he adored Izzy.
Then a year ago, Nick was brutally attacked by bullies when he decided to walk to school by himself. It was this incident that divided the once happy family with accusations flying, resulting in Craig leaving the family home. And it was Izzy and Nick once more.
Now a year later to the day, it is Friday the 13th and Nick is pleading with his mum to allow him to go to his best friend Adrian's house for a sleepover. Still reeling from Craig's accusations last year and her guilt at not protecting her son enough, Izzy is reluctant to let him go. But this is a new school and these are new friends. What could go wrong?
Finally relenting, she drops him off and arranges to collect him the following morning. But the next day when she arrives, all her nightmares have become reality when it is discovered that Nick isn't there. Overcome with guilt once again and telling herself she knew this was a bad idea, Izzy is frantic with worry. She questions each of the boys there but they claim to know nothing. Nick was there when they went to sleep...and when they woke he was gone.
The police are called and Izzy's ex, Craig, arrives with everyone turning over thoughts and possibilities while the three boys sat there white with shock. Where could Nick have gone in the middle of the night? And why would he leave the sleepover he was so desperate to attend, leaving all his belongings behind? It didn't make sense.
And then a body is found in the Thames...
Questions arise and fingers are pointed as we are thrown different scenarios and red herrings to throw us off the scent as Izzy searches for the truth about what happened to her son. As the reader, we suspect just about everyone along the way as the story threw us twist after twist!
The story is gripping from the beginning though it slows down in pace for most of the way until the penultimate finale delivering a few shocks, whilst remaining compelling throughout.
A cautionary tale, THE SLEEPOVER covers a variety of topics every parent should be aware of - bullying, peer pressure, the social media influence, secrets and duplicitous behaviour.
The final twist, when it came, was shocking but I had admittedly anticipated it just prior to its reveal. A twisted psychopathic tale, THE SLEEPOVER is a tense and taut thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat as you try to pick your way through the ever growing list of suspects. Even at the end, you are still questioning just who is really behind it!
THE SLEEPOVER is an engaging read I recommend to fans of psychological thrillers
I would like to thank #SamanthaKing, #NetGalley and #LittleBrownBookGroupUK for an ARC of #TheSleepover in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
My first book by Samantha King, THE SLEEPOVER is every parent's worst nightmare. Your child goes to a sleepover and you return to collect him the next morning only to find he isn't there! His friends aren't saying anything, the mother is oblivious and you're pulling your hair out racking your brains thinking where your child could possibly be!
This is what happens to Izzy Brooke and her 12 year old son Nick.
Izzy has always been protective of her son ever since he was born, particularly after returning home one afternoon when, nearing the end of her pregnancy, she found the love of her life and father of her unborn child had hanged himself. Despite her grief she vowed to be the best mother she could be to her son and protect him at all costs. But Nick needed a father and so with the help of her best friend Katie, Izzy joined a dating site and met Craig who she later married. Craig was a good step-father to Nick. He loved him like he was his own flesh and blood, and he adored Izzy.
Then a year ago, Nick was brutally attacked by bullies when he decided to walk to school by himself. It was this incident that divided the once happy family with accusations flying, resulting in Craig leaving the family home. And it was Izzy and Nick once more.
Now a year later to the day, it is Friday the 13th and Nick is pleading with his mum to allow him to go to his best friend Adrian's house for a sleepover. Still reeling from Craig's accusations last year and her guilt at not protecting her son enough, Izzy is reluctant to let him go. But this is a new school and these are new friends. What could go wrong?
Finally relenting, she drops him off and arranges to collect him the following morning. But the next day when she arrives, all her nightmares have become reality when it is discovered that Nick isn't there. Overcome with guilt once again and telling herself she knew this was a bad idea, Izzy is frantic with worry. She questions each of the boys there but they claim to know nothing. Nick was there when they went to sleep...and when they woke he was gone.
The police are called and Izzy's ex, Craig, arrives with everyone turning over thoughts and possibilities while the three boys sat there white with shock. Where could Nick have gone in the middle of the night? And why would he leave the sleepover he was so desperate to attend, leaving all his belongings behind? It didn't make sense.
And then a body is found in the Thames...
Questions arise and fingers are pointed as we are thrown different scenarios and red herrings to throw us off the scent as Izzy searches for the truth about what happened to her son. As the reader, we suspect just about everyone along the way as the story threw us twist after twist!
The story is gripping from the beginning though it slows down in pace for most of the way until the penultimate finale delivering a few shocks, whilst remaining compelling throughout.
A cautionary tale, THE SLEEPOVER covers a variety of topics every parent should be aware of - bullying, peer pressure, the social media influence, secrets and duplicitous behaviour.
The final twist, when it came, was shocking but I had admittedly anticipated it just prior to its reveal. A twisted psychopathic tale, THE SLEEPOVER is a tense and taut thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat as you try to pick your way through the ever growing list of suspects. Even at the end, you are still questioning just who is really behind it!
THE SLEEPOVER is an engaging read I recommend to fans of psychological thrillers
I would like to thank #SamanthaKing, #NetGalley and #LittleBrownBookGroupUK for an ARC of #TheSleepover in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
March 12, 2020
Gripping and unputdownable are two words I would use to describe this book. However, I was slightly disappointed that after the incident with Nick, more events took place. I feel it would’ve been sufficient without these.
Overall though this has been a good read. ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Overall though this has been a good read. ⭐️⭐️⭐️
January 2, 2022
This was not the right book for me to read.
They killed the cat. Someone murdered the cat. I needed something escapist to take my thoughts away from my own very sick kitty.
They killed the cat. Someone murdered the cat. I needed something escapist to take my thoughts away from my own very sick kitty.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 2, 2020
Have you ever read a book that even though it's a thriller it doesn't feel like one? This one a living proof. It's like I'm walking to someone else true story. Apart from it's being a fictional character. It remains true to the real world - what actually, critically happened to our society today. Also, you must realize it by now that I extremely love cleanliness even if in the world of a thriller. I need to give a credit to the author as it takes effort to make sure your book can be read even by an underage. It also proofs that you really don't need to Insert all those X-rated scenes or foul language to make a point of how good the book is in order to pull the reader in.
Back to the novel. It's seriously one gripping, twisted with unpredictable characters and storyline. I kid you not. As for the early pages, my mind was somewhere else and it takes me slow to get into the story and I wondered what's with that. But then, things start to get chaotic. I mean what could go wrong with a sleepover?? And when it does, it's every mother's nightmare. I don't expect things could turn the way it turns out. I'm mad you know, I feel like slapping the villain.
It feels so unbelievable but it could happen and already does. It makes me extremely awful to know that as a parent there are so many things that we might not acknowledge with our children, their world, who they friend with, and what they do on a daily basis. And I pray so that as a parent, we'll come to understand the right way to be a parent so that kids feel open to us at anything they wanted.
Big thank you to @netgalley and @littlebrownbookgroup_uk for giving me an opportunity to read this eARC.
Back to the novel. It's seriously one gripping, twisted with unpredictable characters and storyline. I kid you not. As for the early pages, my mind was somewhere else and it takes me slow to get into the story and I wondered what's with that. But then, things start to get chaotic. I mean what could go wrong with a sleepover?? And when it does, it's every mother's nightmare. I don't expect things could turn the way it turns out. I'm mad you know, I feel like slapping the villain.
It feels so unbelievable but it could happen and already does. It makes me extremely awful to know that as a parent there are so many things that we might not acknowledge with our children, their world, who they friend with, and what they do on a daily basis. And I pray so that as a parent, we'll come to understand the right way to be a parent so that kids feel open to us at anything they wanted.
Big thank you to @netgalley and @littlebrownbookgroup_uk for giving me an opportunity to read this eARC.
September 2, 2021
A thrilling chilling story of a sleepover that goes wrong and a boy who goes missing. All parents must have their hearts in their mouths reading this and considering how much at risk our children are. Risks from adults, other children including bullies and sex offenders. Taking a child to a sleepover and leaving them with people you only know through school yard drop offs and pick ups is a leap of faith.
In this story it is a cataclysmic decision for one mother and her son who goes missing. The story follows the Mother and her interactions with everyone involved and the police. She doesn’t know who to trust and is desperate to have her son home safe and sound.
The action and suspense carries throughout and right up until the end.
In this story it is a cataclysmic decision for one mother and her son who goes missing. The story follows the Mother and her interactions with everyone involved and the police. She doesn’t know who to trust and is desperate to have her son home safe and sound.
The action and suspense carries throughout and right up until the end.
June 12, 2020
Izzy is thrilled when her shy, 12-year-old son is invited for his first sleepover. Nick has spent years being isolated and picked on; he deserves a night of fun and friendship. But Izzy is also nervous: it's a year to the day since bullies put Nick in hospital. She drops him off at his new best friend's house with mixed feelings. Arriving to collect him the following morning, her worst fears come true.
This book really details every parent's worst nightmare. Your child goes for their first sleepover and when you arrive to pick them up, they are gone. I would love to say that from here King details a twisting, gripping, shocking investigation into the truth but I found it somewhat lacking. I was gripped to a certain extent but I also thought it was lacking energy and excitement. I do not think the culprit started off being obvious but the more I read, the more I saw it becoming obvious and it meant the ending was spoilt a bit. I cannot really detail why I was so disappointed, it just felt like a let down and the built up energy did not really go anywhere.
Where this read excels is with the atmosphere. King has done a fantastic job with creating a really chilling, unnerving atmosphere that did hook me in and have me on edge for the rest of the read. As the book progresses, King builds a sense of impending doom, we see Izzy become increasingly vulnerable and isolated until the big event towards the end of the read, which is actually not that big. I adored the atmosphere created but it felt like a waste as King really builds it up and then it did not go anywhere.
The characters in this are okay, although I do not think there is enough character development for them to be likeable. I did not even warm to Izzy that much and we follow her for the entire read. There are some interesting characters and dynamics in this but King does not develop them enough to really get the benefit. Again, this felt like a wasted opportunity.
What is clear throughout this is not only do the adults have secrets but the children do as well, and maybe what the children are hiding is much worse. I did enjoy discovering the many secrets in this read and King does throw in a couple of good red herrings to throw the reader off the scent a bit but I wanted something else.
'The Sleepover' is a chilling, unnerving read about a nightmarish situation. Sadly, the built up energy went nowhere and I was left disappointed.
Thank you to NetGalley and Piatkus for an advance copy.
This book really details every parent's worst nightmare. Your child goes for their first sleepover and when you arrive to pick them up, they are gone. I would love to say that from here King details a twisting, gripping, shocking investigation into the truth but I found it somewhat lacking. I was gripped to a certain extent but I also thought it was lacking energy and excitement. I do not think the culprit started off being obvious but the more I read, the more I saw it becoming obvious and it meant the ending was spoilt a bit. I cannot really detail why I was so disappointed, it just felt like a let down and the built up energy did not really go anywhere.
Where this read excels is with the atmosphere. King has done a fantastic job with creating a really chilling, unnerving atmosphere that did hook me in and have me on edge for the rest of the read. As the book progresses, King builds a sense of impending doom, we see Izzy become increasingly vulnerable and isolated until the big event towards the end of the read, which is actually not that big. I adored the atmosphere created but it felt like a waste as King really builds it up and then it did not go anywhere.
The characters in this are okay, although I do not think there is enough character development for them to be likeable. I did not even warm to Izzy that much and we follow her for the entire read. There are some interesting characters and dynamics in this but King does not develop them enough to really get the benefit. Again, this felt like a wasted opportunity.
What is clear throughout this is not only do the adults have secrets but the children do as well, and maybe what the children are hiding is much worse. I did enjoy discovering the many secrets in this read and King does throw in a couple of good red herrings to throw the reader off the scent a bit but I wanted something else.
'The Sleepover' is a chilling, unnerving read about a nightmarish situation. Sadly, the built up energy went nowhere and I was left disappointed.
Thank you to NetGalley and Piatkus for an advance copy.
February 20, 2020
4.5 stars.
I really enjoyed The Choice, this author's debut book, when I read it a few years ago so I have been hankering to see what she would offer up next. Although not quite hitting the same heady heights for me, this was a good solid read that kept my attention throughout and left me satisfied at its end.
A year ago Nick was brutally attacked at school by bullies when he rushed off from home and walked by himself to school. An incident that also split his step-dad away from the family home. Back in the present and Nick has settled down at a new school and has finally found himself some friends. He's invited to a sleepover with them but mum Izzy is reluctant but she eventually gives in and drops him off. Next day, when she arrives to collect him, all her nightmares are realised as... he's not there. And so begins a bit of a cat and mouse game as the search for Nick starts. And then a body is found...
Oh my! I lost track of the scenarios I ran through my head all the way through reading this book. I pointed my finger at everyone, sometimes more than once. I changed my mind so many times that by the end of the book, when the truth finally came out, I was so dizzy I was totally gobsmacked as, although I had considered it, I really didn't ever believe that the author was leading me there!
The start is frenetic, the ending too, but the middle is delivered at a quite slower pace which did feel a little clunky. It also flits about in time a bit along the way, including quite a few reminiscences, some of which took a while to get to grips with. I also had a few queries with plot points along the way but all of these were explained to my satisfaction by the end of the book. The plot itself was intense and harrowing and included quite a few themes, including social media, peer pressure, bullying, and showed what a scary world our children have to grow up in these days.
Characterisation was good throughout. As already mentioned I suspected pretty much everyone along the way as the story twisted and turned around and about itself as more of the characters' personalities were exposed. Talk about secrets, lies and duplicitous behaviour!
All in all, a cracking follow up book. Can't wait to see what the author has in store for next time. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.
I really enjoyed The Choice, this author's debut book, when I read it a few years ago so I have been hankering to see what she would offer up next. Although not quite hitting the same heady heights for me, this was a good solid read that kept my attention throughout and left me satisfied at its end.
A year ago Nick was brutally attacked at school by bullies when he rushed off from home and walked by himself to school. An incident that also split his step-dad away from the family home. Back in the present and Nick has settled down at a new school and has finally found himself some friends. He's invited to a sleepover with them but mum Izzy is reluctant but she eventually gives in and drops him off. Next day, when she arrives to collect him, all her nightmares are realised as... he's not there. And so begins a bit of a cat and mouse game as the search for Nick starts. And then a body is found...
Oh my! I lost track of the scenarios I ran through my head all the way through reading this book. I pointed my finger at everyone, sometimes more than once. I changed my mind so many times that by the end of the book, when the truth finally came out, I was so dizzy I was totally gobsmacked as, although I had considered it, I really didn't ever believe that the author was leading me there!
The start is frenetic, the ending too, but the middle is delivered at a quite slower pace which did feel a little clunky. It also flits about in time a bit along the way, including quite a few reminiscences, some of which took a while to get to grips with. I also had a few queries with plot points along the way but all of these were explained to my satisfaction by the end of the book. The plot itself was intense and harrowing and included quite a few themes, including social media, peer pressure, bullying, and showed what a scary world our children have to grow up in these days.
Characterisation was good throughout. As already mentioned I suspected pretty much everyone along the way as the story twisted and turned around and about itself as more of the characters' personalities were exposed. Talk about secrets, lies and duplicitous behaviour!
All in all, a cracking follow up book. Can't wait to see what the author has in store for next time. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.
May 29, 2020
I have children. This book is my nightmare! Nick lives with his mom. He doesn’t know his father and his stepdad has moved out. He has been bullied. Now he has made some friends and is going on his first sleepover. When his mom goes to pick him up, though, he is gone. Vanished. All the boys claim to know nothing. So what happened to Nick?
This book kept me reading. I was terrified for Nick. There were so many questions and dubious people. I was kept wondering all the way up to the reveal. I was on a roller coaster of hope and despair throughout. It is a heart pounding, page turner!
The Sleepover is a psychological thriller. I could certainly see it as a cautionary urban myth. It covers a lot of relevant topics for parents and children today. Peer pressure, social media pressure, bullying, social media usage, online chats, dark websites and people with hidden psychological issues. There is a lot to explore in this book.
Thank you to #Netgalley, #Kensington Books and the author who provided an ecopy for review consideration. My review of The Sleepover is based upon my experience with this book.
This book kept me reading. I was terrified for Nick. There were so many questions and dubious people. I was kept wondering all the way up to the reveal. I was on a roller coaster of hope and despair throughout. It is a heart pounding, page turner!
The Sleepover is a psychological thriller. I could certainly see it as a cautionary urban myth. It covers a lot of relevant topics for parents and children today. Peer pressure, social media pressure, bullying, social media usage, online chats, dark websites and people with hidden psychological issues. There is a lot to explore in this book.
Thank you to #Netgalley, #Kensington Books and the author who provided an ecopy for review consideration. My review of The Sleepover is based upon my experience with this book.
July 21, 2020
3-4 stars, I did finish this book and for the most part found it to be a good read, but it didn’t wow me. I think if marketed towards those who are not into more disturbing or even younger thriller readers, it would be a much more successful book, as it seemed a bit off compared to my more dark thrilling reads. Overall, it was written pretty good, with some fun thrills, chills, and twists. I wouldn’t say it was unputdownable, but it was captivating enough to want to finish. I think that it had some really fast paced and hard for parents to read parts, but others were a tad too show for me. Overall, I think if you’re one who doesn’t want too much disturbing and dark content. This is your book!
Will make sure to buzz around and use low Amazon reviewer number on release date!
Will make sure to buzz around and use low Amazon reviewer number on release date!
February 25, 2020
I read this book in just over a day. It really gripped me right from the start and I couldn't put it down. I was convinced a certain character was guilty but I was completely wrong. As the boys are so young it was quite difficult to believe what was happening. I would give this between 3 and a half and 4 stars, something was missing for me. I think the ending just wasn't what I was expecting and not quite my cup of tea but still really enjoyable.
Thank you to Netgalley for giving me a copy of this to review
Thank you to Netgalley for giving me a copy of this to review
October 12, 2022
This book is definitely a mystery. It’s about a boy that goes missing at a sleepover and the people help his mother try to find him and piece together what happened and why it happened. There is more to it, but I won’t spoil it. Starting it, I wasn’t sure about it, but the more I read it, the better it got and it turned out good. A little shocking to me. It turned out to be a page turner for me because I wanted to hurry up and find out what happened to the boy and who did it and why. One thing that happened was predictable.
May 21, 2020
I found this story to be intriguing for the first half but then that disappeared and the plot became a little bland. Overall am okay read
March 7, 2023
good concept. not carried out the best. farfetched
December 15, 2019
The book was good so a solid 3 1/2 stars for me. I thought it was slightly slow in the middle but the start and the ending were fantastic. Would recommend.
May 19, 2020
Izzy is reluctant to let her 12-year-old son Nick attend his first sleepover. But it’s in his best friend’s house and after much pleading, she relents. It’s a year to the day that Nick was put in hospital due to bullying and when she arrives to collect her son the following morning, all her fears are laid in front of her. Nick isn’t there and no one knows where he’s gone. He’s without a coat or jumper and Izzy expects the worse. Here begins the search for little Nick and Izzy having to figure out who is telling the truth and who isn’t. It’s cleverly written so you feel constantly on edge – and of course, any parent reading it would be questioning what they would do in the same position. Frighteningly possible.
April 1, 2023
Picked this up at Walmart on a whim, never having read this author before. It sucked me in from beginning to end. There were several "bad guys" to pick from, and not until the last few pages did I actually guess who it was. Lots of twists and turns, along with some flashbacks.
Nick is having a lot of trouble at school, kids are picking on him and beating him up. Due to a beating that took place when he was 11, Mom is still walking him to school and picking him up later. When he actually asks to go on his first sleepover, she is reluctant to say yes. But it means a lot to him, and she is glad to see him making friends, so gives the go ahead. Arriving early to pick him up the next day, she and the mother of his friend are shocked when they can find Nick nowhere in the house, and the other three boys say they have no idea where he is.
Where is he, how did he get there and is he still alive? Is this a continuation of the bullying or something else? And if she can find him, will it all end there or continue to escalate?
Nick is having a lot of trouble at school, kids are picking on him and beating him up. Due to a beating that took place when he was 11, Mom is still walking him to school and picking him up later. When he actually asks to go on his first sleepover, she is reluctant to say yes. But it means a lot to him, and she is glad to see him making friends, so gives the go ahead. Arriving early to pick him up the next day, she and the mother of his friend are shocked when they can find Nick nowhere in the house, and the other three boys say they have no idea where he is.
Where is he, how did he get there and is he still alive? Is this a continuation of the bullying or something else? And if she can find him, will it all end there or continue to escalate?
December 15, 2019
Deffo worth a read! You can’t guess who the ‘baddie’ is and it was a reasonable page turner! I’m now reading the other book by this author, who at present has only produced two to date.
March 1, 2020
I really didn't like the main character Izzy at all, she put me off the entire book, not even sure why I finished it
July 15, 2020
This book had a great premise and looked good at the start. But it seemed to lose its way fairly quickly and I struggled with it to the end. Not one I would recommend.
April 15, 2020
What would you do for your child?
Izzy, the main character in The Sleepover by Samantha King, tries so hard to let her son, Nick, be independent and live his own life. At the same time she struggles because one year before the beginning of the book, Nick was beat up by some bullies at his old school. He had chosen, at the age of 11, to walk to school by himself.
Izzy struggles with her son's burgeoning independence. She wants to keep him her little boy forever, and wants to protect him from all the people that may hurt him. She's a little one-dimensional in this regard.
When Nick is invited to a sleepover at his friend's house, Izzy is reluctant to let him go. She's thrilled that he is apparently making friends, but she's scared that he could get hurt by said friends.
When she goes to pick him up from the sleepover, and finds out he's missing, the whole book is set on its course. Will she find him in time? Will he still be alive? What happened?
This book is told in first person present tense. It's a weird type of writing; one I can't really get past. I was taught in school not to write this way, so when I find a book that is, I find myself yelling in my head at the writing. I also ran across a couple proofreading errors, but they didn't really detract from the story.
I've noticed that Izzy "reflects" a lot. Yes, the author actually uses this word. This actually did bug me. I couldn't figure out why the author couldn't find other words to say the same thing.
The characters don't develop very well, either. The story is told very well, and had enough interesting twists to keep me reading, but I found the characters one-dimensional.
Luckily for me, this book is action-driven. I don't like books that are character-driven. I don't know why, but they tend to bore me. This book also has plenty of back story, which makes the present easier to understand. The flashbacks are told quite well.
All in all, this book is really good, and I will likely read it again. It will be a while, but this story was unique, and I really appreciated all the little twists and turns. Just when I thought I knew what was going on, the story would switch, and I would be confused all over again. I actually love stories like these. It's one of the reasons I love Saw 1.
The Rating
I gave this book 4 stars. It's really good, and I will enjoy reading it again, but the character development wasn't as great as I would expect from a thriller, and the main character was a bit one-dimensional for me. Character-driven books may not be my cup of tea, but I do like some in my action books.
If you enjoy a thriller, you should definitely check this book out. I could tell it wasn't professionally edited or proofread, but the story is good enough that it doesn't seem to matter much. I was reminded of The Family Upstairs a bit when reading this book, so if you like that book, you might like this one.
The Conclusion
I really did enjoy this book. I probably won't be adding it to my top-ten list any time soon, but I loved it enough to recommend it, and even choose to reread at some point. I won't be deleting it from my kindle anytime soon.
Izzy, the main character in The Sleepover by Samantha King, tries so hard to let her son, Nick, be independent and live his own life. At the same time she struggles because one year before the beginning of the book, Nick was beat up by some bullies at his old school. He had chosen, at the age of 11, to walk to school by himself.
Izzy struggles with her son's burgeoning independence. She wants to keep him her little boy forever, and wants to protect him from all the people that may hurt him. She's a little one-dimensional in this regard.
When Nick is invited to a sleepover at his friend's house, Izzy is reluctant to let him go. She's thrilled that he is apparently making friends, but she's scared that he could get hurt by said friends.
When she goes to pick him up from the sleepover, and finds out he's missing, the whole book is set on its course. Will she find him in time? Will he still be alive? What happened?
This book is told in first person present tense. It's a weird type of writing; one I can't really get past. I was taught in school not to write this way, so when I find a book that is, I find myself yelling in my head at the writing. I also ran across a couple proofreading errors, but they didn't really detract from the story.
I've noticed that Izzy "reflects" a lot. Yes, the author actually uses this word. This actually did bug me. I couldn't figure out why the author couldn't find other words to say the same thing.
The characters don't develop very well, either. The story is told very well, and had enough interesting twists to keep me reading, but I found the characters one-dimensional.
Luckily for me, this book is action-driven. I don't like books that are character-driven. I don't know why, but they tend to bore me. This book also has plenty of back story, which makes the present easier to understand. The flashbacks are told quite well.
All in all, this book is really good, and I will likely read it again. It will be a while, but this story was unique, and I really appreciated all the little twists and turns. Just when I thought I knew what was going on, the story would switch, and I would be confused all over again. I actually love stories like these. It's one of the reasons I love Saw 1.
The Rating
I gave this book 4 stars. It's really good, and I will enjoy reading it again, but the character development wasn't as great as I would expect from a thriller, and the main character was a bit one-dimensional for me. Character-driven books may not be my cup of tea, but I do like some in my action books.
If you enjoy a thriller, you should definitely check this book out. I could tell it wasn't professionally edited or proofread, but the story is good enough that it doesn't seem to matter much. I was reminded of The Family Upstairs a bit when reading this book, so if you like that book, you might like this one.
The Conclusion
I really did enjoy this book. I probably won't be adding it to my top-ten list any time soon, but I loved it enough to recommend it, and even choose to reread at some point. I won't be deleting it from my kindle anytime soon.
February 20, 2025
The Sleepover dives deep into the lives of a mother and son, taking us on a psychological journey that's dark, suspenseful, and incredibly thought provoking. Set around twelve year old Nick and his mother, Isobel Brookes, the story opens up a web of complexities that lurk behind something as seemingly innocent as a sleepover gone terribly wrong.
In a world dominated by digital challenges, we see Nick and his mates struggle with issues of identity, friendship, and the pressure of online connections. From the dark side of the web (think "Dare or Die" challenges) to the unsettling impact of social media, this story illustrates how easily today’s youth can become entangled in harmful influences, craving virtual connections over real ones, and losing empathy along the way. 🖥️💀
And what about the parents? Isobel’s journey reminds us that providing for our kids isn’t just about physical needs; it’s about being fully present and aware of the digital world they inhabit. Samantha King, being a psychotherapist herself, powerfully portrays the importance of emotional bonds and the unpredictable consequences of ignoring them.
🌟 Takeaways:
Dance to your own rhythm, without worrying about fitting into social norms.
Don’t judge people by their appearances; some rough edges are only skin deep, while innocent faces can hide darkness.
Show love to those who matter; life’s too short to leave those words unsaid.
Bullying isn’t just a moment; it lingers in the victim’s mind, long after the act.
When children feel overlooked, they may act out to gain attention, even if it’s negative.
This thriller had me hooked till the last page! I was constantly guessing and felt truly shocked at the end. The Sleepover isn’t just a psychological thriller; it’s a reminder of the critical role parents play in shaping young minds in a fast evolving digital era. 🌐💔
In a world dominated by digital challenges, we see Nick and his mates struggle with issues of identity, friendship, and the pressure of online connections. From the dark side of the web (think "Dare or Die" challenges) to the unsettling impact of social media, this story illustrates how easily today’s youth can become entangled in harmful influences, craving virtual connections over real ones, and losing empathy along the way. 🖥️💀
And what about the parents? Isobel’s journey reminds us that providing for our kids isn’t just about physical needs; it’s about being fully present and aware of the digital world they inhabit. Samantha King, being a psychotherapist herself, powerfully portrays the importance of emotional bonds and the unpredictable consequences of ignoring them.
🌟 Takeaways:
Dance to your own rhythm, without worrying about fitting into social norms.
Don’t judge people by their appearances; some rough edges are only skin deep, while innocent faces can hide darkness.
Show love to those who matter; life’s too short to leave those words unsaid.
Bullying isn’t just a moment; it lingers in the victim’s mind, long after the act.
When children feel overlooked, they may act out to gain attention, even if it’s negative.
This thriller had me hooked till the last page! I was constantly guessing and felt truly shocked at the end. The Sleepover isn’t just a psychological thriller; it’s a reminder of the critical role parents play in shaping young minds in a fast evolving digital era. 🌐💔
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