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4 Riverside Close
How well do you know your neighbours?
When residents of a North London cul-de-sac enrol in a seemingly innocent social network, they soon find themselves embroiled in a murky web of sinister manipulation and murder.
From the outside, Caroline and Jason Swinton have an idyllic life. But when the cracks start to appear the residents of Riverside Close are drawn into a dangerous game.
When Jason’s body is discovered in a house on the close, everyone becomes a suspect.
Could his lovely wife be responsible for his murder?
Or do the neighbours have a motive for wanting him dead?
As the secret lives of those living on the Close are gradually revealed, it becomes clear that someone is hiding something they will stop at nothing to protect…
When residents of a North London cul-de-sac enrol in a seemingly innocent social network, they soon find themselves embroiled in a murky web of sinister manipulation and murder.
From the outside, Caroline and Jason Swinton have an idyllic life. But when the cracks start to appear the residents of Riverside Close are drawn into a dangerous game.
When Jason’s body is discovered in a house on the close, everyone becomes a suspect.
Could his lovely wife be responsible for his murder?
Or do the neighbours have a motive for wanting him dead?
As the secret lives of those living on the Close are gradually revealed, it becomes clear that someone is hiding something they will stop at nothing to protect…
312 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 30, 2020
2297 people are currently reading
1452 people want to read
About the author
Diana Wilkinson
19 books270 followersDiana Wilkinson graduated from Durham University with a degree in geography, then after a short spell in teaching, spent most of her working life in the business of tennis development.
A former Irish international player, Diana finally stepped off the tennis court to become a full-time writer.
The inspiration for much of her work has come from the ladies she coached over the years and from confidences share over coffee.
4 Riverside Close is Diana's first crime novel, published by Bloodhound Books on 30th March 2020.
You Are Mine, her second thriller, is due for release on 1st June 202.
Born and bred in Belfast, Northern Ireland, during the height of the civil unrest, she now lives in Hertfordshire, England, with her husband son.
A former Irish international player, Diana finally stepped off the tennis court to become a full-time writer.
The inspiration for much of her work has come from the ladies she coached over the years and from confidences share over coffee.
4 Riverside Close is Diana's first crime novel, published by Bloodhound Books on 30th March 2020.
You Are Mine, her second thriller, is due for release on 1st June 202.
Born and bred in Belfast, Northern Ireland, during the height of the civil unrest, she now lives in Hertfordshire, England, with her husband son.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 212 reviews
July 6, 2020
I feel like the penguin, diving deep until the danger passes, ignoring lurking predators in the temporary safety of the underwater confines.
4 Riverside Close
by Diana Wilkinson
My review:
This book reminds me of the night.
Like the the night, 4 Riverside Close is mysterious and dark, dusky and unlit, filled with shadows and illuminated by moody and inky twilight with the occasional flash of Neon. It is mesmerizing.
At first, the book appears to be about nothing so much as nosy neighbors and a mysterious online group called "JOIN ME".But you kind of know from the start this is not your average every day thriller.
This was an ominous read. It is told from multiple perspectives, four different women, all struggling with inner demons. And at the center of the story is Jason.
Jason..he is almost unreal in his physical beauty. Think JFK Junior. The type of guy, to quote Sarah Jessica Parker, one feels is almost to beautiful..making it unfair as a woman to have to stand beside him.
Join Me is the new Website that offers fun and bonding to the local townspeople, particularly bored housewives. Or at least it would appear to..
Join Me is way more than a social media site where people met up but I really cannot say more. I went in blind and that is exactly what you should do.
You may find some of the women hard to like. I know I did. You may think the book starts slow. It does. It is the definition of a slow burn. This book is NOT fast paced at all.
But the dark and unsettling tone..I mean it hooked me from page one.
Each of the four women are going through their own personal hell. And there are trigger alerts. Without disclosing all the details..some of the issues and themes explored include Spousal Abuse, Obsessive compulsive disorder, Aging, adultery, suicide, anorexia and sex for money. Also so much more.
The murder DOES NOT even come into the equation until almost 75 percent into the book. So it really is not a murder mystery, in the conventional sense.
The book messes with your head. There are constant sounds of breaking glass, cats wailing (NO ANIMAL ABUSE THOUGH!) and the constant theme is what happens in the deepest and darkest time of the day..the inscrutable darkness.
I have been reading many 2 and 3 star books lately so this was such a welcome change.
I adore the modern day Noir element that ripples through the book. I wonder how this would be as a film. Murky for sure. I'd like to see it on the big screen photographed in the same way the film "Miami Vice" was.
The voices of the characters were all so authentic and I even adore the ending.
There are just a few twists here..but the book does not need them to stand out. One twist will be impossible to guess, trust me on that.
A strong four stars. People if you like a slow burn..this one is not to be missed.
4 Riverside Close
by Diana Wilkinson
My review:
This book reminds me of the night.
Like the the night, 4 Riverside Close is mysterious and dark, dusky and unlit, filled with shadows and illuminated by moody and inky twilight with the occasional flash of Neon. It is mesmerizing.
At first, the book appears to be about nothing so much as nosy neighbors and a mysterious online group called "JOIN ME".But you kind of know from the start this is not your average every day thriller.
This was an ominous read. It is told from multiple perspectives, four different women, all struggling with inner demons. And at the center of the story is Jason.
Jason..he is almost unreal in his physical beauty. Think JFK Junior. The type of guy, to quote Sarah Jessica Parker, one feels is almost to beautiful..making it unfair as a woman to have to stand beside him.
Join Me is the new Website that offers fun and bonding to the local townspeople, particularly bored housewives. Or at least it would appear to..
Join Me is way more than a social media site where people met up but I really cannot say more. I went in blind and that is exactly what you should do.
You may find some of the women hard to like. I know I did. You may think the book starts slow. It does. It is the definition of a slow burn. This book is NOT fast paced at all.
But the dark and unsettling tone..I mean it hooked me from page one.
Each of the four women are going through their own personal hell. And there are trigger alerts. Without disclosing all the details..some of the issues and themes explored include Spousal Abuse, Obsessive compulsive disorder, Aging, adultery, suicide, anorexia and sex for money. Also so much more.
The murder DOES NOT even come into the equation until almost 75 percent into the book. So it really is not a murder mystery, in the conventional sense.
The book messes with your head. There are constant sounds of breaking glass, cats wailing (NO ANIMAL ABUSE THOUGH!) and the constant theme is what happens in the deepest and darkest time of the day..the inscrutable darkness.
I have been reading many 2 and 3 star books lately so this was such a welcome change.
I adore the modern day Noir element that ripples through the book. I wonder how this would be as a film. Murky for sure. I'd like to see it on the big screen photographed in the same way the film "Miami Vice" was.
The voices of the characters were all so authentic and I even adore the ending.
There are just a few twists here..but the book does not need them to stand out. One twist will be impossible to guess, trust me on that.
A strong four stars. People if you like a slow burn..this one is not to be missed.
May 20, 2020
This was okay.
Maybe I've read too many thrillers at this point but this didn't excite me all that much.
Maybe I've read too many thrillers at this point but this didn't excite me all that much.
March 30, 2020
This was a tricky read for me. I found the characters too obvious, too many to start with and the ending altogether convenient. I struggled to relate to the lead women in the story and found the final revelations lack-lustre and not very shocking. Despite my misgivings, it was an average story that sadly did not meet my expectations.
Based on the blurb, I was expecting Jason’s murder to dominate the narrative. However, although the prologue begins with the act taking place, two thirds of the story are about events leading up to Jason’s demise. The writer does not make the time period clear and it would have been helpful to have a reference to days before the crime occurs. As such, I thought I had missed something significant in the plot and was confused why the writer had put so much time in establishing the characters and only a third on the investigation of the murder.
The three women that dominate the story felt like over-used stereotypes. Rich, bored and conniving would summarise them accurately. The lure of a new social media site encourages the women to sign up in anticipation of meeting like-minded individuals who wish to see the tourist sites of London together. However, whilst one is blackmailing and using this site as a massive scam, two others are drawn into illicit affairs and encounters. Alexis is the convenient “detective” who is trying to divorce her scumbag husband (another obvious character “type”); Susan is the spoilt, rich woman who seeks more than what her husband offers. On the other hand, Caroline seemed to add a bit more depth as the one behind the website. However, she disappointingly does not feature as prominently and I was expecting more of a surprise at the closing of the story.
I found it difficult to connect with these women, mostly because they were such over-used, typical characters. Initially I struggled to engage with the plot because it kept switching between the different people and I could not remember who was who. This did lessen my overall enjoyment of the story because, by the time I was clued up on the characters, I was more frustrated with the plot development.
Whilst I so far have criticised the story, now is the time to explain why I did enjoy elements of it. The premise of the story is really interesting: I was drawn to the setting of an affluent close in the London suburbs where, actually, the neighbours do not really know one another. Olive, the road’s “spy” keeps tabs on who is coming and going and I thought that was something many readers could relate to! Riverside Close appears such an idyllic setting but, obviously, things are not what they seem.
The varied narrative perspectives means that readers experience different aspects of the plot development. If the writer had been more adventurous with the characters and plot, this novel could have been more mysterious and gripping. There were some surprises during the story which I think readers would appreciate. For me, it was too little too late – the frustration had already settled.
This is an average thriller and one that sadly, fell flat. I was hoping for more than this story delivered. There are plenty of stronger narratives out there than this and, whilst the premise was interesting, the delivery was not as exciting as anticipated.
With thanks to Bloodhound books for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Based on the blurb, I was expecting Jason’s murder to dominate the narrative. However, although the prologue begins with the act taking place, two thirds of the story are about events leading up to Jason’s demise. The writer does not make the time period clear and it would have been helpful to have a reference to days before the crime occurs. As such, I thought I had missed something significant in the plot and was confused why the writer had put so much time in establishing the characters and only a third on the investigation of the murder.
The three women that dominate the story felt like over-used stereotypes. Rich, bored and conniving would summarise them accurately. The lure of a new social media site encourages the women to sign up in anticipation of meeting like-minded individuals who wish to see the tourist sites of London together. However, whilst one is blackmailing and using this site as a massive scam, two others are drawn into illicit affairs and encounters. Alexis is the convenient “detective” who is trying to divorce her scumbag husband (another obvious character “type”); Susan is the spoilt, rich woman who seeks more than what her husband offers. On the other hand, Caroline seemed to add a bit more depth as the one behind the website. However, she disappointingly does not feature as prominently and I was expecting more of a surprise at the closing of the story.
I found it difficult to connect with these women, mostly because they were such over-used, typical characters. Initially I struggled to engage with the plot because it kept switching between the different people and I could not remember who was who. This did lessen my overall enjoyment of the story because, by the time I was clued up on the characters, I was more frustrated with the plot development.
Whilst I so far have criticised the story, now is the time to explain why I did enjoy elements of it. The premise of the story is really interesting: I was drawn to the setting of an affluent close in the London suburbs where, actually, the neighbours do not really know one another. Olive, the road’s “spy” keeps tabs on who is coming and going and I thought that was something many readers could relate to! Riverside Close appears such an idyllic setting but, obviously, things are not what they seem.
The varied narrative perspectives means that readers experience different aspects of the plot development. If the writer had been more adventurous with the characters and plot, this novel could have been more mysterious and gripping. There were some surprises during the story which I think readers would appreciate. For me, it was too little too late – the frustration had already settled.
This is an average thriller and one that sadly, fell flat. I was hoping for more than this story delivered. There are plenty of stronger narratives out there than this and, whilst the premise was interesting, the delivery was not as exciting as anticipated.
With thanks to Bloodhound books for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
February 16, 2021
This is the first time I've done this in a while; quit in the middle of a book. I'm at 58% and I don't give a crap who killed who. All of the characters are horrid, and they all deserve whatever happens to them.
This is one of the slowest, draggiest, not even a bit thrilling or suspenseful "Thrillers" I have ever read.
How can everyone in one little cul de sac not have a clue about anything?
DONE!
This is one of the slowest, draggiest, not even a bit thrilling or suspenseful "Thrillers" I have ever read.
How can everyone in one little cul de sac not have a clue about anything?
DONE!
April 6, 2020
When the residents of Riverside Close get a leaflet through the door about a website called Join Me, little do they know that some of their lives will be changed forever. Join Me, run by husband and wife team Jason and Caroline Swinton, is not supposed to be a dating website. Its aim is to bring like-minded people together to go on trips to London to visit the Zoo, take a boat trip down the Thames or share fine wine and dining. Why is it therefore that women don't meet other women to share these adventures? That would be good. Like pen pals who actually meet and do stuff. Why is it that it's only bored housewives who find a kindred spirit in the same handsome man under different guises? Join Me has a very different agenda, as ludicrously naive and stupid Susan finds out. So does Alexis, whose relationship with doctor husband Adam is falling apart. But Alexis is a lot smarter than Susan. And Olive, an eighty-something busy-body is keeping a diary of all the comings and goings. Then Jason is found dead inside the only empty house in the close - number 4. Who killed him? Were they lining up? This is wonderful stuff, so why only 4 stars I hear you ask. 4.5 would be nearer the mark.
I actually loved this book until the last bit when the killer is revealed. Towards the end I made a list of my 'suspects'. The perp was originally number one on my list but I soon dismissed him as too obvious and a motive that would make him a total hypocrite, unless he was bonkers. I then went through the list dismissing each one until I chose the one I thought would be a great twist. Unfortunately I was wrong!! I loved my twist!! However, I still enjoyed it and would highly recommend it. It's original and fun and brilliantly written.
Many thanks to The Pigeonhole and my fellow Pigeons for once again giving me the opportunity to read a book I would probably never have found on my own or chosen to read.
I actually loved this book until the last bit when the killer is revealed. Towards the end I made a list of my 'suspects'. The perp was originally number one on my list but I soon dismissed him as too obvious and a motive that would make him a total hypocrite, unless he was bonkers. I then went through the list dismissing each one until I chose the one I thought would be a great twist. Unfortunately I was wrong!! I loved my twist!! However, I still enjoyed it and would highly recommend it. It's original and fun and brilliantly written.
Many thanks to The Pigeonhole and my fellow Pigeons for once again giving me the opportunity to read a book I would probably never have found on my own or chosen to read.
February 12, 2026
Unlike the other reviews I have read, which were all mostly glowing, I found that this book was dizzyingly implausible. Perhaps I need to read it again before I review it.
May 2, 2020
A sinister, dark, and totally mesmerising story!
Riverside Close is a quiet cul-de-sac in North London, consisting of just six properties, currently home to the Thompsons, the Harpers and the Morleys. Olive and Bob Thompson are an older retired couple and Olive, in particular, sees herself as the local neighbourhood watch scout. Susan and Roger Harper have two children, Tilly and Noah and have lived there for some time, whilst Alexis and Adam Morley are only just settling into their new home in the Close. Number 4 is on the market, with estate agent Mr Herriott eager to clinch a sale.
Meanwhile, not too far away, in Highgate, Caroline and Jason Swinton are running their own business which is proving to be very lucrative. Their on-line company, called ‘Join Me’ is all about matching like-minded people and offering opportunities to meet for those who are interested in similar social pursuits such as outings to various places, taking in the sights of London or dining out. The couple have been advertising their website in and around Riverside Close. Who will sign up, and is ‘Join Me’ as harmless as it seems?
The story was told from the perspectives of Caroline, Alexis and Susan and the writing style of Diana Wilkinson really worked for me. With the atmospheric story and setting, I felt that the characters were well-created and although very few are likeable, they all befitted the tale wonderfully.
4 Riverside Close was a superb psychological thriller with huge chunks of angst, jealousy, and desire stoked by the atmosphere of its middle class environment. It was really well written with some great descriptions, and I appreciated the way the tension and unease was racked up, bit-by-bit. All was definitely not as it seemed and most of the characters were not what they appeared, either, each having their own agendas or ulterior motives. The ending was neatly tied up with ribbon but was also, to a degree, left open to the reader’s interpretation.
Overall, I enjoyed this menacing domestic thriller, with its dysfunctional relationships and disturbing secrets. It is an assured, powerful début by Diana Wilkinson and I look forward to reading her future books. Highly recommended, with confidence.
Thank you to Diana Wilkinson and Pigeonhole for the opportunity to read this book. This review is my unbiased opinion.
Riverside Close is a quiet cul-de-sac in North London, consisting of just six properties, currently home to the Thompsons, the Harpers and the Morleys. Olive and Bob Thompson are an older retired couple and Olive, in particular, sees herself as the local neighbourhood watch scout. Susan and Roger Harper have two children, Tilly and Noah and have lived there for some time, whilst Alexis and Adam Morley are only just settling into their new home in the Close. Number 4 is on the market, with estate agent Mr Herriott eager to clinch a sale.
Meanwhile, not too far away, in Highgate, Caroline and Jason Swinton are running their own business which is proving to be very lucrative. Their on-line company, called ‘Join Me’ is all about matching like-minded people and offering opportunities to meet for those who are interested in similar social pursuits such as outings to various places, taking in the sights of London or dining out. The couple have been advertising their website in and around Riverside Close. Who will sign up, and is ‘Join Me’ as harmless as it seems?
The story was told from the perspectives of Caroline, Alexis and Susan and the writing style of Diana Wilkinson really worked for me. With the atmospheric story and setting, I felt that the characters were well-created and although very few are likeable, they all befitted the tale wonderfully.
4 Riverside Close was a superb psychological thriller with huge chunks of angst, jealousy, and desire stoked by the atmosphere of its middle class environment. It was really well written with some great descriptions, and I appreciated the way the tension and unease was racked up, bit-by-bit. All was definitely not as it seemed and most of the characters were not what they appeared, either, each having their own agendas or ulterior motives. The ending was neatly tied up with ribbon but was also, to a degree, left open to the reader’s interpretation.
Overall, I enjoyed this menacing domestic thriller, with its dysfunctional relationships and disturbing secrets. It is an assured, powerful début by Diana Wilkinson and I look forward to reading her future books. Highly recommended, with confidence.
Thank you to Diana Wilkinson and Pigeonhole for the opportunity to read this book. This review is my unbiased opinion.
February 3, 2023
Only rated this book a 3 as I found it a little slow. It didn't really keep my attention, but I persevered through. It wasn't terrible, just slow for me.
March 28, 2020
This was a terrific read and an original concept for playing with our minds!
Join Me is an online site offering like minded people the chance to meet up and discover the sights and delights of London.
The thing is, it isn't that straightforward and it isn't that safe. The mastermind couple behind the site are a married pair, Caroline and Jason. Without spoiling the plot their relationship explores the emotional dysfunctions of love gone badly wrong. Love can be wonderful but it can also be twisted.
There are residents in Riverside Close who join the site, in particular bored housewife Susan. She meets Vince and from that point on her life will never be the same again. And neither will Vince's.
Menacing, you can literally feel, for example, Susan's anxiety levels rising rapidly,quickly followed by confusion, with a fantastic plot, and superb characters, this novel makes you take a sharp intake of breath and hold it whilst you read!
It is also a wonderful showcase of women's differing personalities and strengths, including 80 something curtain twitcher Olive and newly arrived Alexis who is determined to become a private investigator and catch her philandering husband Adam out.
It is a refreshing and different way to write a crime novel as there aren't any detectives in it but plenty of amateur sleuthing and an incredible amount of tense turns that eventually lead us to the end of the cul-de-sac at Riverside Close.
Loved it!
Join Me is an online site offering like minded people the chance to meet up and discover the sights and delights of London.
The thing is, it isn't that straightforward and it isn't that safe. The mastermind couple behind the site are a married pair, Caroline and Jason. Without spoiling the plot their relationship explores the emotional dysfunctions of love gone badly wrong. Love can be wonderful but it can also be twisted.
There are residents in Riverside Close who join the site, in particular bored housewife Susan. She meets Vince and from that point on her life will never be the same again. And neither will Vince's.
Menacing, you can literally feel, for example, Susan's anxiety levels rising rapidly,quickly followed by confusion, with a fantastic plot, and superb characters, this novel makes you take a sharp intake of breath and hold it whilst you read!
It is also a wonderful showcase of women's differing personalities and strengths, including 80 something curtain twitcher Olive and newly arrived Alexis who is determined to become a private investigator and catch her philandering husband Adam out.
It is a refreshing and different way to write a crime novel as there aren't any detectives in it but plenty of amateur sleuthing and an incredible amount of tense turns that eventually lead us to the end of the cul-de-sac at Riverside Close.
Loved it!
April 27, 2020
Really enjoyable would love to see it as a series or film. Slow start because of the different characters but within the first 100 pages you get a grip of who's who etc
April 10, 2020
I’ve just finished reading this book on pigeonhole.
It started off very well. There were a lot of characters - most of them very unlikable! We’ve got Jason and Caroline who are conning rich, bored women out of money. Susan, a rich, bored woman who is a real pain in the arse. Alexis and Adam who aren’t as happy as they at first seem. Olive and Bob who are the old dears in the close and are actually very sweet. Some adulterous goings on happen, people lose money, someone is shot - who did it?! I didn’t really care by this point! A few really random points were thrown in at the end but I was just too eager to finish up and move on to care about them or all the plot holes I’d been left wondering about!!
It started off very well. There were a lot of characters - most of them very unlikable! We’ve got Jason and Caroline who are conning rich, bored women out of money. Susan, a rich, bored woman who is a real pain in the arse. Alexis and Adam who aren’t as happy as they at first seem. Olive and Bob who are the old dears in the close and are actually very sweet. Some adulterous goings on happen, people lose money, someone is shot - who did it?! I didn’t really care by this point! A few really random points were thrown in at the end but I was just too eager to finish up and move on to care about them or all the plot holes I’d been left wondering about!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 5, 2020
"Less said the better"
The characters in this book deserved one another. They were shallow, soulless, self-absorbed and not one of them had a saving grace that emerged through the story.
The characters in this book deserved one another. They were shallow, soulless, self-absorbed and not one of them had a saving grace that emerged through the story.
September 24, 2020
DNF at 34% I gave up after the Dr and his wife. Man it's been done 1000 times already and better.
January 3, 2024
2.5 rounding up. This was mediocre. There’s no real mystery or even any salacious gossip. The bad guy is clear early on, and this uninspired story never got any better.
In a close neighborhood a juicy new website called Join Me has started up and encourages married women to cheat. As various women fall for the ploy, the man behind it all ends up murdered and now all their secrets are at risk for coming out.
None of the characters are really redeemable, the story is tired, and there is absolutely no big reveal. I was done half way but held out hope for more and should have DNF well before.
In a close neighborhood a juicy new website called Join Me has started up and encourages married women to cheat. As various women fall for the ploy, the man behind it all ends up murdered and now all their secrets are at risk for coming out.
None of the characters are really redeemable, the story is tired, and there is absolutely no big reveal. I was done half way but held out hope for more and should have DNF well before.
April 6, 2020
The story is set around a cul-de-sac of enviable houses that are filled with seemingly ordinary middle class families. The fact that no-one knows their neighbours is a theme which runs through the book. A website is set up that encourages bored housewives to join up and meet with members of the opposite sex to visit sights around London. The couple who set up the site are a married couple with the male being absolutely gorgeous looking, fulfilling every housewife’s dreams.
The fact that he dies isn’t a spoiler but I felt it happened a little late in the book. Too much attention was paid to his background in my opinion before he was killed. The new couple in the cul-de-sac includes a private detective and her surgeon husband. The book is unusual in that there is no detective leading the case, and it is solved by those living in the close.
The book ends with a lovely bow tying up all the loose ends. However I’m not a fan of “two months later” as I enjoy the process of tying up all the ends. It’s a nice read, with some dark patches, but altogether very readable.
The fact that he dies isn’t a spoiler but I felt it happened a little late in the book. Too much attention was paid to his background in my opinion before he was killed. The new couple in the cul-de-sac includes a private detective and her surgeon husband. The book is unusual in that there is no detective leading the case, and it is solved by those living in the close.
The book ends with a lovely bow tying up all the loose ends. However I’m not a fan of “two months later” as I enjoy the process of tying up all the ends. It’s a nice read, with some dark patches, but altogether very readable.
April 6, 2020
The book opens with a murder at 4 Riverside Close, a vacant property in a suburban cul-de-sac . Intriguingly we don't yet know who has been murdered or who the murderer is.
We are then introduced to quite a few characters in quick succession which was a little hard to keep track of at first. The story is told from the perspective of three women and their involvement in an online site called Join Me. It's not advertised as a dating site but more where people can meet up with others for sightseeing mostly in London. What unfolds is a story of bored housewives, infidelity and blackmail
I did enjoy the book and was hooked right up until the last few chapters. Unfortunately I felt the ending felt a little unnecessary and totally implausible, which was such a shame as it was a pretty good read otherwise.
We are then introduced to quite a few characters in quick succession which was a little hard to keep track of at first. The story is told from the perspective of three women and their involvement in an online site called Join Me. It's not advertised as a dating site but more where people can meet up with others for sightseeing mostly in London. What unfolds is a story of bored housewives, infidelity and blackmail
I did enjoy the book and was hooked right up until the last few chapters. Unfortunately I felt the ending felt a little unnecessary and totally implausible, which was such a shame as it was a pretty good read otherwise.
April 6, 2020
A different take on a crime story as the murder happens first. But we don't know the identity of the murderer or the victim.
Join Me is a website which is interwoven into the story, and everyone involved becomes a suspect.
Loved the concept and Diana Wilkinson creates some great, if frustrating characters. At times I wasn't sure who knew what and who was working with who, and that, for me, was the best part.
However I thought that the ending was very disappointing. The murderer was obvious and the whole thing became cliched. I was waiting for another twist to save this book, but all we got was something irrelevant to the plot.
A little teaser about the owner of the dog wasn't answered.
Did Roger forgive Susan?
Is Olive still sleuthing?
What happened to Alexis and Gary?
A lot of unanswered questions perhaps pointing to a sequel?
Join Me is a website which is interwoven into the story, and everyone involved becomes a suspect.
Loved the concept and Diana Wilkinson creates some great, if frustrating characters. At times I wasn't sure who knew what and who was working with who, and that, for me, was the best part.
However I thought that the ending was very disappointing. The murderer was obvious and the whole thing became cliched. I was waiting for another twist to save this book, but all we got was something irrelevant to the plot.
A little teaser about the owner of the dog wasn't answered.
Did Roger forgive Susan?
Is Olive still sleuthing?
What happened to Alexis and Gary?
A lot of unanswered questions perhaps pointing to a sequel?
March 30, 2020
The story revolves around the lives of three couples living in Riverside Close, a cul-de-sac of lovely houses for people who appear in the most part to have enviable lives. When one of the wives enrols on a seemingly harmless website for people looking to enjoy sight-seeing in London with similarly minded people, it triggers a chain of events which will have devastating consequences for all those involved. Are the website owners really who they appear to be? Just who is keeping secrets from who? And who is silently watching and waiting? With a series of "coincidences" bringing people together in a world of murky affairs, I found there were only a few likeable characters and the rest I loved to hate! I didn't find the blurb terribly accurate, particularly from a time-frame point of view. It is a slow burn story but please don't be put off by this. The author takes a good 50% of the book to set the scene and fully introduce the main players, and the action gets going well after that to a point where the pace really hots up, leading to a great ending full of twists and surprises. I loved the ending, where everyone seemed to get what they deserve! 4.5*
April 6, 2020
2.5 rounded up. The ending really lost me there.
July 2, 2020
This story follows the lives of several people who live in a cul-de-sac called 4 Riverside Close. They are rich and the place is full of secrets. Many of these secrets are logged by an inquisitive old lady, Olive, who watches everyone’s comings and goings. (By the way, Olive turns out to be one of my favourite characters).
A number of women who live at Riverside are bored. They are bored with their lives in general and bored with their sex lives.
A new friendship online site, Join Me, starts advertising at Riverside. Join Me promises visits to museums and zoos but it seems a lot of the women are more interested in finding sex. Jason and Caroline, who also live at Riverside, run Join Me, but do they have a secret agenda? And if so, what is it?
At the start of the book, we know a murder has been committed but we don’t know who has been killed until the end. We also don’t know who the killer is. I had a lot of fun trying to work these two out.
There are women in the book who would kill to protect their secrets and their marriage, there is another woman who is likely going to be killed unless she leaves her abusive husband…
Entertaining and clever, this book will keep you guessing until the end.
Why did I give it 4 stars instead of 5? Because I was a tad sad when I found out who had died and what their secret was. I wish it had been one of the more horrible, shallow people - and there are plenty of them.
(But don’t let this put you off. It’s a great book and most readers probably aren’t as sentimental as me.)
A number of women who live at Riverside are bored. They are bored with their lives in general and bored with their sex lives.
A new friendship online site, Join Me, starts advertising at Riverside. Join Me promises visits to museums and zoos but it seems a lot of the women are more interested in finding sex. Jason and Caroline, who also live at Riverside, run Join Me, but do they have a secret agenda? And if so, what is it?
At the start of the book, we know a murder has been committed but we don’t know who has been killed until the end. We also don’t know who the killer is. I had a lot of fun trying to work these two out.
There are women in the book who would kill to protect their secrets and their marriage, there is another woman who is likely going to be killed unless she leaves her abusive husband…
Entertaining and clever, this book will keep you guessing until the end.
Why did I give it 4 stars instead of 5? Because I was a tad sad when I found out who had died and what their secret was. I wish it had been one of the more horrible, shallow people - and there are plenty of them.
(But don’t let this put you off. It’s a great book and most readers probably aren’t as sentimental as me.)
April 11, 2020
This book has an interesting premise and the author has a great style of writing, balancing description with action perfectly. In that sense, it's a really easy read and I'd love to read Diana Wilkinson's future books as I think that the downfalls in this one will probably be improved in following works.
Those downfalls include some flat and slightly unbelievable characters, definitely unreal police procedures (I feel like anybody who has seen one true crime doc or even any fictional police procedurals would know that there's no way police would conduct an investigation the way they do in this book), repetition, and shocks just for shock value.
My own feeling and what I've seen from most people is that the majority of these issues crop up in the final third of the book which, unfortunately, leaves a bad taste in the reader's mouth. The rest of the book is paced really well, is suspenseful, and intriguing. I particularly enjoyed the character of Alexis, and I think that most readers also will.
Again, I think that the issues in this book can be easily improved in future novels by this author and I'd definitely give the author another go.
Those downfalls include some flat and slightly unbelievable characters, definitely unreal police procedures (I feel like anybody who has seen one true crime doc or even any fictional police procedurals would know that there's no way police would conduct an investigation the way they do in this book), repetition, and shocks just for shock value.
My own feeling and what I've seen from most people is that the majority of these issues crop up in the final third of the book which, unfortunately, leaves a bad taste in the reader's mouth. The rest of the book is paced really well, is suspenseful, and intriguing. I particularly enjoyed the character of Alexis, and I think that most readers also will.
Again, I think that the issues in this book can be easily improved in future novels by this author and I'd definitely give the author another go.
August 18, 2020
Awesome book!!! This book told the stories of different women and the author made me feel like I was part of the women's lives. She explained in great detail the feeling and thoughts of these women. Some of the characters made me mad and I wanted to just jump in the book. The book felt so much like it was happening in real life. It was so hard for me to put this book down. Based on the book blurb I knew there was going to be a death but I had no idea who it would be. When the death scene happened I had no idea who done it. I had my guesses but I really wasn't for sure. Everything came together great. I highly recommend this book to mystery or thriller lovers.
March 29, 2020
Do you know those books that you read and then feel a bit of panic setting in because you're most of the way through the book and the crime hasn't even been committed yet? Well, this is one of those books... I always get worried when this happens because you then often find that the ending is rushed so that the writer can tie up all loose ends in only a few pages. This, however, is NOT the case with this book...phew!
I found myself immersed in each of the characters' stories, and I kept turning the page, eagerly awaiting the next part of the story.
The plot kept me gripped right the way through, and I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a nail-biter...
I found myself immersed in each of the characters' stories, and I kept turning the page, eagerly awaiting the next part of the story.
The plot kept me gripped right the way through, and I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a nail-biter...
April 7, 2020
This was my first book by this author and the characters have been created in a way to allow for sequels which was clever. The story itself had promise and held my attention until close to the end by which time I had figured out whom the culprit was but kept hoping the author would introduce a twist in the crime that I hadn't considered. The one big reveal which did come through was implausible and therefore lost a star in my rating.4 stars.
April 4, 2020
Intriguing start
I was drawn in by the interesting start to the book- it was different from the ones I normally read. However, as the story unfolded I became aware of inconsistencies in the plot and it jumped ahead on a number of occasions, leaving gaps in the explanations. Was it set in a cold snowy winter or a warm close summer? Spoiler alert - why would Jason have entered the empty house if Adam had opened the door? He didn’t know him. Many other puzzling inconsistencies which spoilt my enjoyment somewhat.
I was drawn in by the interesting start to the book- it was different from the ones I normally read. However, as the story unfolded I became aware of inconsistencies in the plot and it jumped ahead on a number of occasions, leaving gaps in the explanations. Was it set in a cold snowy winter or a warm close summer? Spoiler alert - why would Jason have entered the empty house if Adam had opened the door? He didn’t know him. Many other puzzling inconsistencies which spoilt my enjoyment somewhat.
April 6, 2020
All in all an enjoyable read with enough tension to keep me hooked. A bit predictable towards the end even though I was waiting for a twist (I won't say whether there was one!). There are a few loose ends but maybe there is a plan for a sequel - which I may be tempted to read.
May 14, 2020
Enjoyed this and highly recommend
Characters that are interesting and brought to life artistically. Enough plot twists to keep me interested and entertained. Thank you for an enjoyable read.
Characters that are interesting and brought to life artistically. Enough plot twists to keep me interested and entertained. Thank you for an enjoyable read.
May 24, 2025
Captivating read has you turning pages rather than putting it down. Always a few good twists from Diana Wilkinson!
April 6, 2020
That was a very enjoyable read! I loved Olive and Alexis! Everyone needs a friend/neighbor like Olive!
It was well written and definitely had you wanting more!
It was well written and definitely had you wanting more!
May 18, 2020
One of the BEST books I've read in a LONG time!
My curiosity to find out what would happen next kept me on the edge of my seat.
The ending threw me into disbelief, but it also satisfied me in regard to ending the story!!
My curiosity to find out what would happen next kept me on the edge of my seat.
The ending threw me into disbelief, but it also satisfied me in regard to ending the story!!
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