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V zajetí klamu
Pro rozvedenou Lizzy Rileyovou znamená přestup jejího osmiletého syna Toma na místní akademii nový začátek. Lizzie má pocit, že škola s tak skvělou reputací a vynikajícími výsledky bude pro jejího syna to pravé. Tom potřebuje stabilitu a jistotu. Jenže na téhle škole je něco zvláštního. Rodičům není povolen vstup na školní pozemky, na oknech jsou namontované mříže a ředitelovo chování je značně znepokojivé. Proč Tom chodí domů vyčerpaný a nepamatuje si nic z prožitého dne? Kde se na jeho pažích vzaly ty podivné modřiny? A když se Lizzie snaží získat informace od ostatních studentů, proč mají strach promluvit?
416 pages, Hardcover
First published March 21, 2019
362 people are currently reading
3091 people want to read
About the author
Suzy K. Quinn
33 books933 followersDownload your Suzy K Quinn starter library at: www.suzykquinn.com
Suzy K Quinn writes romantic comedy / rom com books / cozy mystery and has sold over 1 million books worldwide. She is a bestseller in the UK, US and Germany and has plans for total world domination with more feel-good books (bestsellers, obviously) in the near future. Her books exist in the space between Jojo Moyes, Richard Osman and the Midnight Library.
Suzy lives in Wivenhoe, Essex, with her husband Demi and two daughters. She is a twin, an incompetent parent of two and now fully decaffeinated. Her twin sister, Cate Quinn, is also a bestseller author. When she's not writing, she is reading rom coms and cozy mysteries.
Suzy loves her readers and is ALWAYS happy to chat on social media - she's @suzykquinn on all the socials. You can also get a free book at her website.
Suzy K Quinn writes romantic comedy / rom com books / cozy mystery and has sold over 1 million books worldwide. She is a bestseller in the UK, US and Germany and has plans for total world domination with more feel-good books (bestsellers, obviously) in the near future. Her books exist in the space between Jojo Moyes, Richard Osman and the Midnight Library.
Suzy lives in Wivenhoe, Essex, with her husband Demi and two daughters. She is a twin, an incompetent parent of two and now fully decaffeinated. Her twin sister, Cate Quinn, is also a bestseller author. When she's not writing, she is reading rom coms and cozy mysteries.
Suzy loves her readers and is ALWAYS happy to chat on social media - she's @suzykquinn on all the socials. You can also get a free book at her website.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 580 reviews
August 26, 2019
My reviews can also be seen at: https://deesradreadsandreviews.wordpr...
3.5 Stars
Appearances can be deceiving…
After a recent divorce, Lizzie Riley and her six-year-old son, Tom are trying to make a fresh start. One of the biggest changes is that Tom will now be attending an academy school called Steelfield Academy.
When Lizzie sees the school for the first time, she is surprised. It has a tall fence all the way around the property, and the windows have bars on them. It looks a bit like a prison. Then she sees there’s a hole cut in the fence…
Is someone trying to get in or out?
Lizzie can tell Tom is worried.
“What if Dad finds us”
When Lizzie meets the headmaster there is something about him that instantly sets her on edge. He tells her that the school has a long waiting list and that they were lucky to get Tom enrolled. She’s also told that the school forbids parents from entering the grounds or the school itself. All of this leaves a bad taste in Lizzie’s mouth. However, she tries to make the best of it and tells Tom it will be great.
But it’s not long before Lizzie feels like something strange is going on. Tom is often exhausted and moody when he gets home from school. Lizzie asks him what's wrong, but he won’t talk about it, and if she pushes too hard, he just says he doesn’t remember. Lizzie tries to talk to someone at the school but again she’s told just how lucky Tom is to be a part of such a great school.
When Tom comes home with strange marks on his arm, Lizzie has had enough. She is determined to find out exactly what is happening at this school.
What exactly is going on at Steelfield Academy?
“Don’t Tell the Teacher” was a dark and clever story with intriguing and devious characters. I did think that the story slowed down a bit in the middle, but found things picked up again rather quickly. Some suspension of disbelief was necessary, but I liked that I couldn’t figure out what was going on, and in the end was an excellent twist that I did not see coming.
Overall, this was a chilling and enjoyable psychological thriller!
3.5 Stars
Appearances can be deceiving…
After a recent divorce, Lizzie Riley and her six-year-old son, Tom are trying to make a fresh start. One of the biggest changes is that Tom will now be attending an academy school called Steelfield Academy.
When Lizzie sees the school for the first time, she is surprised. It has a tall fence all the way around the property, and the windows have bars on them. It looks a bit like a prison. Then she sees there’s a hole cut in the fence…
Is someone trying to get in or out?
Lizzie can tell Tom is worried.
“What if Dad finds us”
When Lizzie meets the headmaster there is something about him that instantly sets her on edge. He tells her that the school has a long waiting list and that they were lucky to get Tom enrolled. She’s also told that the school forbids parents from entering the grounds or the school itself. All of this leaves a bad taste in Lizzie’s mouth. However, she tries to make the best of it and tells Tom it will be great.
But it’s not long before Lizzie feels like something strange is going on. Tom is often exhausted and moody when he gets home from school. Lizzie asks him what's wrong, but he won’t talk about it, and if she pushes too hard, he just says he doesn’t remember. Lizzie tries to talk to someone at the school but again she’s told just how lucky Tom is to be a part of such a great school.
When Tom comes home with strange marks on his arm, Lizzie has had enough. She is determined to find out exactly what is happening at this school.
What exactly is going on at Steelfield Academy?
“Don’t Tell the Teacher” was a dark and clever story with intriguing and devious characters. I did think that the story slowed down a bit in the middle, but found things picked up again rather quickly. Some suspension of disbelief was necessary, but I liked that I couldn’t figure out what was going on, and in the end was an excellent twist that I did not see coming.
Overall, this was a chilling and enjoyable psychological thriller!
July 1, 2024
Nasty characters and it all got too much.
May 21, 2019
OH. MY. GOSH! What a dynamic thriller!
We’re running. Along wide, tree-lined pavements, over the zebra crossing and into the park.
‘Quick, Tom.’
Tom struggles to keep up, tired little legs bobbing up and down on trimmed grass. He gasps for breath.
My ribs throb, lighting up in pain.
A Victorian bandstand and a rainbow of flowerbeds flash past. Dimly, I notice wicker picnic hampers, Prosecco, Pimm’s in plastic glasses.
No one notices us. The frightened mother with straight, brown hair, wearing her husband’s choice of clothes. The little boy in tears.
That’s the thing about the city. Nobody notices.
There’s a giant privet hedge by the railings, big enough to hide in.
Tom cries harder. I cuddle him in my arms. ‘Don’t make a sound,’ I whisper, heart racing. ‘Don’t make a sound.’
Tom nods rapidly. We both clutch each other, terrified. I shiver, even though it’s a warm summer’s day. Tom gives a choked sob.
‘Will he find us, Mum?’
‘Shush,’ I say, crouching in my flat leather sandals, summer dress flowing over my knees. ‘Please, Tom. We have to be quiet.’
‘I’m scared.’ Tom clasps my bare arm.
‘I know, sweetheart,’ I whisper, holding his head against my shoulder. ‘We’re going away. Far away from him.’
‘What if he gets me at school?’
‘We’ll find a new school. One he doesn’t know about. Okay?’
Tom’s chest is against mine, his breathing fast.
He understands that we can’t be found.
Olly is capable of anything.
********
*Audiobook Review*
Don’t Tell Teacher by Suzy K. Quinn is definitely not what I expected. It was better! I can't say a lot about the storyline without giving too much away so I'll just say that it's a must read!
On of my favorite narrators, Imogen Church, gave an outstanding performance and it definitely ramped up the emotions of the characters and intensity of the story! I listened to it in record time as it was very difficult to stop!
As the conclusion grew closer and closer, all I kept saying to myself was Oh. My Gosh...! Over and over again!
We’re running. Along wide, tree-lined pavements, over the zebra crossing and into the park.
‘Quick, Tom.’
Tom struggles to keep up, tired little legs bobbing up and down on trimmed grass. He gasps for breath.
My ribs throb, lighting up in pain.
A Victorian bandstand and a rainbow of flowerbeds flash past. Dimly, I notice wicker picnic hampers, Prosecco, Pimm’s in plastic glasses.
No one notices us. The frightened mother with straight, brown hair, wearing her husband’s choice of clothes. The little boy in tears.
That’s the thing about the city. Nobody notices.
There’s a giant privet hedge by the railings, big enough to hide in.
Tom cries harder. I cuddle him in my arms. ‘Don’t make a sound,’ I whisper, heart racing. ‘Don’t make a sound.’
Tom nods rapidly. We both clutch each other, terrified. I shiver, even though it’s a warm summer’s day. Tom gives a choked sob.
‘Will he find us, Mum?’
‘Shush,’ I say, crouching in my flat leather sandals, summer dress flowing over my knees. ‘Please, Tom. We have to be quiet.’
‘I’m scared.’ Tom clasps my bare arm.
‘I know, sweetheart,’ I whisper, holding his head against my shoulder. ‘We’re going away. Far away from him.’
‘What if he gets me at school?’
‘We’ll find a new school. One he doesn’t know about. Okay?’
Tom’s chest is against mine, his breathing fast.
He understands that we can’t be found.
Olly is capable of anything.
********
*Audiobook Review*
Don’t Tell Teacher by Suzy K. Quinn is definitely not what I expected. It was better! I can't say a lot about the storyline without giving too much away so I'll just say that it's a must read!
On of my favorite narrators, Imogen Church, gave an outstanding performance and it definitely ramped up the emotions of the characters and intensity of the story! I listened to it in record time as it was very difficult to stop!
As the conclusion grew closer and closer, all I kept saying to myself was Oh. My Gosh...! Over and over again!
April 5, 2019
Firstly I have to say this book kept me awake until 3am as I could not sleep unless I finished it. You had me addicted from page 1.
Lizzie has moved with her son Tom aged 6, away from her abusive husband Ollie. It’s a fresh start and Tom is going to be attending Steelfield Academy.
The school at first appearance seems more like a prison, surrounded by locked gates, bars at the windows and a Headmaster that does not allow parents to enter the school. It is an excellent school with amazing Ofsted results but why is Tom coming home so tired and with puncture marks on his arm?
This book is told from the point of view of Lizzie, Kate the Social Worker and Tom.
A MUST MUST read book that will keep you turning the pages with it’s intense style writing and many twists!!
Will definitely read this again to see what hidden clues I missed along the way!!
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.
Lizzie has moved with her son Tom aged 6, away from her abusive husband Ollie. It’s a fresh start and Tom is going to be attending Steelfield Academy.
The school at first appearance seems more like a prison, surrounded by locked gates, bars at the windows and a Headmaster that does not allow parents to enter the school. It is an excellent school with amazing Ofsted results but why is Tom coming home so tired and with puncture marks on his arm?
This book is told from the point of view of Lizzie, Kate the Social Worker and Tom.
A MUST MUST read book that will keep you turning the pages with it’s intense style writing and many twists!!
Will definitely read this again to see what hidden clues I missed along the way!!
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.
October 11, 2019
Rating: 3.5/5.0
Genre:
Mystery Thriller
Book Structure:
The book is around 384 pages long. There are many chapters and they are small so reading will be very fast. The story is told from a first-person perspective. There are multiple point of views here from different characters. The main character Lizzie has two point of views, one which is in the past and the other one in the present time.
After divorce, Lizzie Riley tries to have a new life with her 6-year-old son, Tom. A new home and a new school. The new school seems to be very strange as it has bars across the classroom windows and parents are not allowed to enter the grounds! Since Tom joined the school, he is not himself. Bad things happen to him. Lizzie knows something is wrong and thinks it is the school. The headmaster & Tom's teacher denies that.
The story was fun to read, it started well and I thought it will have interesting twists and turns as one expects with thrillers but that was not the case. About 40% in the book I was predicting what was going to happen & it is somehow disappointing when your mind predicts something in a thriller and it happens! This story is a slow burn. The pace was slow. However, the length of the book and the short chapters did not make it too painful to get through it. The multiple point of views sometimes felt distracting. I feel it would've been better if the author used the method of a third person's perspective and a first person's perspective for Lizzie. I found Kate's portion to be mainly eventless. Yes, the reader needs to know what is she doing but he did not need to get inside her head.
Don’t Tell Teacher was a fun read, slow for my taste but still somehow enjoyable despite being predictable for me. I was hoping the event to be somehow different. I can't say more because this will reveal the main twist in the story. I give the book a good 3.5 stars out of 5.0
Many thanks to Hidden Gems Books for providing me with a free digital copy of the book in return for this honest and unbiased review.
March 29, 2019
I don't want to give a detailed review incase it spoils the book in any way for other readers. All I can say is, READ, READ, READ. Had my pulse racing throughout.
September 10, 2019
Hoping for a fresh start for her eight-year-old son Tom, recently divorced Lizzie enrols her child in a highly preforming academy school.
This could be the perfect start for him.
But with a strange set of rules including parents forbidden from entering the school grounds and bars across the windows, it feels as if the headteacher is hiding something.
Soon Tom acts tired and moody and some strange marks appear on his arm, something is clearly a miss...
I really loved the set up for this novel, a simple location of a school being shutoff for a parent seems sinister and cold.
With the reader also clueless allows for some random crackpot ideas during the first half of the story, at one point I wondered if the students were being cloned!
The solution is a lot more plausible than that and soon becomes obvious as the story progresses.
I found similarities to another book I’d recently read, so this may explain how I guessed the reveal a lot earlier.
This could be the perfect start for him.
But with a strange set of rules including parents forbidden from entering the school grounds and bars across the windows, it feels as if the headteacher is hiding something.
Soon Tom acts tired and moody and some strange marks appear on his arm, something is clearly a miss...
I really loved the set up for this novel, a simple location of a school being shutoff for a parent seems sinister and cold.
With the reader also clueless allows for some random crackpot ideas during the first half of the story, at one point I wondered if the students were being cloned!
The solution is a lot more plausible than that and soon becomes obvious as the story progresses.
I found similarities to another book I’d recently read, so this may explain how I guessed the reveal a lot earlier.
July 2, 2019
Well, I did not see that coming at all! What a fantastic book, really threw me with that ending
April 6, 2019
Moving to a new town, after escaping an abusive relationship Lisa Riley brings her son Tom to a new school. Known to be one of the top schools in the town Tom is excited to make a fresh start. But when they get to the school, the school is not what they thought it was. The school has bars in the window and there is a padlock on the main gates. The children file in, in orderly fashion and the headmaster is not the friendlily of persons. It is like the school is hiding things from the outside world.
The story also tells us of how Lisa meets Toms father Olly a snowboarder. First, they are inseparable but slightly controlling. Until Olly has an accident and his career dives. He gets Angier and becomes abusive and is caught supposedly hurting Tom. He is arrested and a restraining order is help upon him when he gets out. So, Lisa and Tom are moved away to a new town.
A bit slow at first but this is a well written, gripping thriller that kept me wanting more. The story was made more believable by how the author described the hardships that social services have to deal with in the day to day lives and I wasn’t expecting the twist at the end.
The story also tells us of how Lisa meets Toms father Olly a snowboarder. First, they are inseparable but slightly controlling. Until Olly has an accident and his career dives. He gets Angier and becomes abusive and is caught supposedly hurting Tom. He is arrested and a restraining order is help upon him when he gets out. So, Lisa and Tom are moved away to a new town.
A bit slow at first but this is a well written, gripping thriller that kept me wanting more. The story was made more believable by how the author described the hardships that social services have to deal with in the day to day lives and I wasn’t expecting the twist at the end.
February 20, 2021
Don't Tell Teacher by Suzy K. Quinn is a complete mind trip of a twisted psychological thriller which is going to keep you reading and flipping pages until you finish,it's also that book you read in one sitting.
It's pulse pounding and nerve racking all at the same time.
If you enjoy reading about psychopath bitch mothers then I definitely recommend this book.
Just so you know there's a happy ending in a sense.
I'm definitely looking forward to reading more from this author 📖
It's pulse pounding and nerve racking all at the same time.
If you enjoy reading about psychopath bitch mothers then I definitely recommend this book.
Just so you know there's a happy ending in a sense.
I'm definitely looking forward to reading more from this author 📖
May 28, 2023
Setting: England; present day.
Wow! Great twist towards the end.
Elizabeth (Lizzie) has escaped an abusive relationship with her eight-year-old son, Tom. Leaving London and husband Olly behind, she has moved well away and, with the help of Social Services, got Tom into a prestigious Steelfield Academy school. But, on taking Tom to school on his first day, she is daunted by the appearance and rules of the school - bars on the windows, gates locked during the day and parents not allowed onto school premises - and the headmaster seems to only be interested in discipline and exam results. As the days pass, Lizzie becomes aware that Tom's behaviour has altered - he can't remember what he has done at school, is tired and listless, stays in his room a lot and, when at school, appears to be hanging out with the Neilson brothers, whose family are on the Social Services radar.
The story is told largely from the points of view of Lizzie and Kate, a social worker assigned to both Tom and the Neilson family. Snowed under with her workload and trying to do the best for everybody, Kate still finds herself prioritising issues with the Neilson family and keeps putting off a visit to Tom and Lizzie. But when she eventually does make a visit, Kate has some concerns, particularly as Lizzie has raised the issue with Tom's behaviour and listlessness, saying that there is something untoward going on at the school. The situation becomes even more serious when Tom has a couple of fits and also is seen with puncture marks in his arm. Lizzie blames the school but the headmaster denies any involvement on the part of the school.
Then comes the shocking mega-twist, which turns all the reader's conceptions totally on their head...
This was a thoroughly gripping read and the totally surprising plot twist had me thinking very much of the similar shock whilst reading I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh - it was that sort of twist and, because of all that had gone before, just couldn't be rated as less than 5 stars. Simply took my breath away - 9.5/10.
Wow! Great twist towards the end.
Elizabeth (Lizzie) has escaped an abusive relationship with her eight-year-old son, Tom. Leaving London and husband Olly behind, she has moved well away and, with the help of Social Services, got Tom into a prestigious Steelfield Academy school. But, on taking Tom to school on his first day, she is daunted by the appearance and rules of the school - bars on the windows, gates locked during the day and parents not allowed onto school premises - and the headmaster seems to only be interested in discipline and exam results. As the days pass, Lizzie becomes aware that Tom's behaviour has altered - he can't remember what he has done at school, is tired and listless, stays in his room a lot and, when at school, appears to be hanging out with the Neilson brothers, whose family are on the Social Services radar.
The story is told largely from the points of view of Lizzie and Kate, a social worker assigned to both Tom and the Neilson family. Snowed under with her workload and trying to do the best for everybody, Kate still finds herself prioritising issues with the Neilson family and keeps putting off a visit to Tom and Lizzie. But when she eventually does make a visit, Kate has some concerns, particularly as Lizzie has raised the issue with Tom's behaviour and listlessness, saying that there is something untoward going on at the school. The situation becomes even more serious when Tom has a couple of fits and also is seen with puncture marks in his arm. Lizzie blames the school but the headmaster denies any involvement on the part of the school.
Then comes the shocking mega-twist, which turns all the reader's conceptions totally on their head...
This was a thoroughly gripping read and the totally surprising plot twist had me thinking very much of the similar shock whilst reading I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh - it was that sort of twist and, because of all that had gone before, just couldn't be rated as less than 5 stars. Simply took my breath away - 9.5/10.
August 24, 2019
This was a strange 1 for me! I can totally appreciate the ride other readers went on, & all the reasons this book deserves it's very high ratings.. But for me honestly, I just didn't enjoy it. It's hard to explain why without getting into parts of the book that I don't want to give away. 1 thing I can say though is that a lot of the book is a slow burn.. We're reading about little Tom going through some kind of continued awfulness (origin unknown)- & while I'm usually pretty good about not being disturbed.. I did find myself just feeling sorry for this little guy! The EXTREME frustration I felt about how the mother was handling the school.. & then as we got to the end, & all was revealed & tied with a bow- I only "hated" it more. I must say, I did like the end (the end, end.. Like the last 2%!😂) So I really wasn't sure what to rate it because I know it was well written & can even agree with the other reviews I read, but I can't just blindly give a 4 or 5 when honestly I just couldn't wait for it to be over! So I thought a 3 was fair..🤷🏻♀️
April 3, 2019
Brilliant!!!!
Twists and turns! Loved this book. The kind of book that you think about when you're not reading it and look forward to that quiet time so you can get stuck back in!
Twists and turns! Loved this book. The kind of book that you think about when you're not reading it and look forward to that quiet time so you can get stuck back in!
May 6, 2019
I found myself angry thru a lot of this book. What mother would allow their child to continue going to a school that she believes is physically harming her child? Honestly though that is one of the things that kept me glued to this story because I had to know what was going on. The flip back and forth between characters was at times frustrating and annoying but I think it is because I didnt care for Lizzie's mom. 4 stars because while some parts of the story were so far fetched for any normal mother, I still had to keep reading to find out the truth behind it all.
April 30, 2019
Well this one certainly hits the mark for a compulsive page turner, creepy school filled with odd people and a child whose character and behaviour changes dramatically since starting this new school, what could be the cause !! This is what makes this book so good the need to get to the bottom of just what is happening makes it a quick and addictive read. Told from alternating points of view and a twist at the end which I had sort of guessed I can honestly say I found it to be an enjoyable read that I can recommend if you want an easy read to get your teeth into and would give it 4 stars.
My thanks to NetGalley and HQ for giving me the chance to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
My thanks to NetGalley and HQ for giving me the chance to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
August 18, 2019
This was a fantastic book I even got up early to finish it.
I just couldn’t put it down and I could have read it in a day!!!
It had all the qualities of an exciting twisty story, making you think who was doing what but, of course I was completely wrong as usual.
I know this author has written another book so I’ll look out for it.
I just couldn’t put it down and I could have read it in a day!!!
It had all the qualities of an exciting twisty story, making you think who was doing what but, of course I was completely wrong as usual.
I know this author has written another book so I’ll look out for it.
April 17, 2019
GAHHHH. I am so annoyed after finishing this book. At the beginning, I was suspecting the plot twist and lo and behold, I was right. So disappointed in this book.
1 star because I flew through it in 2 days, but not because it was just so good. Sure, to a novice thriller reader - this may hit the spot. Otherwise..this book reminded me of a recent disappointing thriller I read because of the same.plot.twist. (Stranger on the Beach..pass on that one)
1 star because I flew through it in 2 days, but not because it was just so good. Sure, to a novice thriller reader - this may hit the spot. Otherwise..this book reminded me of a recent disappointing thriller I read because of the same.plot.twist. (Stranger on the Beach..pass on that one)
September 12, 2019
Wow wow wow
This is my first book to read from Suzy Quinn and I defo be reading more of her work
This year I’ve found it hard to get into a book where it will take me months to read 1. But this book just made me want to read. I got addicted and read when I could.
Lizzy and Tom run away from their home town to escape the abusive ex husband. They start a new life, a fresh start.
Tom starts a new school but with bars on the windows, the gates padlocked and no parents allowed in lizzy doesn’t think this is normal. Tom starts to fall ill and there is no explanations why.
Lizzy starts to think Tom is in danger. She thinks her ex husband has found her.
But all isn’t as it seems. What is real and what isn’t?
Amazing book. Gutted I’ve finished it. Easy flow read and some twists which had me gasp
This is my first book to read from Suzy Quinn and I defo be reading more of her work
This year I’ve found it hard to get into a book where it will take me months to read 1. But this book just made me want to read. I got addicted and read when I could.
Lizzy and Tom run away from their home town to escape the abusive ex husband. They start a new life, a fresh start.
Tom starts a new school but with bars on the windows, the gates padlocked and no parents allowed in lizzy doesn’t think this is normal. Tom starts to fall ill and there is no explanations why.
Lizzy starts to think Tom is in danger. She thinks her ex husband has found her.
But all isn’t as it seems. What is real and what isn’t?
Amazing book. Gutted I’ve finished it. Easy flow read and some twists which had me gasp
March 26, 2019
The author is a dear friend of mine- or is she?
Friends don't steal from each other. Shame on you, Suzy K. Quinn for robbing me of an early night.
I couldn't get to sleep after I finished this as I was going over the plot structure. I find plotting very hard and we have here a plot, a sub-plot with red herring and a twist so sudden my neck nearly snapped. Bravo, friend. You are forgiven.
I'm not going to go into the plot as I'm too tired not to be a leaky bag of spoilers. Two days ago I read another domestic thriller where a main character has the same unusual behaviour pattern. Therefore a comparison seems natural but spoily spoilers so will just say Claire Douglas Do Not Disturb kthanxbai.
Friends don't steal from each other. Shame on you, Suzy K. Quinn for robbing me of an early night.
I couldn't get to sleep after I finished this as I was going over the plot structure. I find plotting very hard and we have here a plot, a sub-plot with red herring and a twist so sudden my neck nearly snapped. Bravo, friend. You are forgiven.
I'm not going to go into the plot as I'm too tired not to be a leaky bag of spoilers. Two days ago I read another domestic thriller where a main character has the same unusual behaviour pattern. Therefore a comparison seems natural but spoily spoilers so will just say Claire Douglas Do Not Disturb kthanxbai.
April 1, 2019
Another one with a lot of five star reviews that I just did not enjoy that much. It may also have been the audiobook version I listened to which was a little irritating. Far too many ‘voices’ which detracted from the central plot and caused some conflict as to who was telling the story. Characters were not very well developed but that could be because it was being told from a number of different POV. This was one worth persevering through as the twist towards the end was good (if not a little predictable). Some weird time lapses did not help the authenticity. Upside - a quick read.
July 16, 2019
My review on my website. www.bookread2day.wordpress.com
Oh my goodness once I started reading Don’t Tell The Teacher, I couldn’t stop. If there’s one book that I say is a must read, this is high on my list to recommend to you all.
When you take your young child to school, you know your child will be safe.
In this page turning story, when Lizzie Riley takes her six year old son Tom to school, Lizzie soon starts to become supicious of things about the school with bars across the windows.
When things start to happen to her precious son , Lizzie can’t get any answers from the school. Everyone Lizzie speaks to seems to be hiding something. Lizzie takes an instant dislike to the headmaster and further more she doesn’t trust him, then there is Toms teacher which Lizzie doesn’t seem to get along with, plus Lizzie knows that other boys in Toms class are bad trouble. Please don’t miss this book. It is mind blowing all the way.
Oh my goodness once I started reading Don’t Tell The Teacher, I couldn’t stop. If there’s one book that I say is a must read, this is high on my list to recommend to you all.
When you take your young child to school, you know your child will be safe.
In this page turning story, when Lizzie Riley takes her six year old son Tom to school, Lizzie soon starts to become supicious of things about the school with bars across the windows.
When things start to happen to her precious son , Lizzie can’t get any answers from the school. Everyone Lizzie speaks to seems to be hiding something. Lizzie takes an instant dislike to the headmaster and further more she doesn’t trust him, then there is Toms teacher which Lizzie doesn’t seem to get along with, plus Lizzie knows that other boys in Toms class are bad trouble. Please don’t miss this book. It is mind blowing all the way.
November 17, 2020
This book is good!!! It is so fill of surprises and speculations. Okay, I admit, the school mentioned in this book is creepy and suspicious, especially the stern looking headmaster and the way the teacher acts as if she was brainwashed. Kids going there display disturbing behaviors and get strange injection marks, as well as show a lot of alarming symptoms of being drugged or poisoned.
But oh no, how this book deceived me! You know the twist that really bends the plot and leads to an absolutely different route? It changes everything, including my view on all the characters. Is it just the school or is there something else at work here that hurts the children? The protagonists turn out not really what I expected. Like I said, that crazy twist turns this book upside down. It twists the mindset and the perspective. At first, there are a lot of chapters telling Lizzie’s story in the past (how her husband, Olly, abused her and her son violently), whose existence isn’t fully explained. I mostly couldn’t be bothered with those chapters so I skipped most of them. And finally, the twist did explain why the chapters were there, and also accounted for Ruth’s perspective (Ruth is Lizzie’s mother).
But oh no, how this book deceived me! You know the twist that really bends the plot and leads to an absolutely different route? It changes everything, including my view on all the characters. Is it just the school or is there something else at work here that hurts the children? The protagonists turn out not really what I expected. Like I said, that crazy twist turns this book upside down. It twists the mindset and the perspective. At first, there are a lot of chapters telling Lizzie’s story in the past (how her husband, Olly, abused her and her son violently), whose existence isn’t fully explained. I mostly couldn’t be bothered with those chapters so I skipped most of them. And finally, the twist did explain why the chapters were there, and also accounted for Ruth’s perspective (Ruth is Lizzie’s mother).
January 26, 2020
I chose this audiobook as I was recommended Imogen Church as the narrator.
Lizzie Riley, newly divorced from husband, had procured the admission for her son Tom in a new school which had fences and padlocks and parents not albeing allowed inside. Tom started coming home covered in bruises. What was happening in that school?
My first book by author Suzy K Quinn, the story was a slow start with POV of different characters. Being an audiobook, I had nothing visual anchoring to the read. So it was a slower journey to complete the book.
The plot line gave me Izzie, her mother, and social worker Kate's POV, along with different timelines. Imogen's voice followed the author's plot to a T with different expressions and inflections in the tone to make me feel as if I were a part of the story.
I couldn't guess the ending, it was unexpected. I didn't have time to come up with my own theories as I was busy training my brain to just listen to the voice. My niggles were the story was very slow, and the voice sound kept increasing and decreasing in different chapters so I kept scrambling to increase and decrease the volume.
Overall, for my first audiobook, I had a fun time with it. Quite enjoyable.
Lizzie Riley, newly divorced from husband, had procured the admission for her son Tom in a new school which had fences and padlocks and parents not albeing allowed inside. Tom started coming home covered in bruises. What was happening in that school?
My first book by author Suzy K Quinn, the story was a slow start with POV of different characters. Being an audiobook, I had nothing visual anchoring to the read. So it was a slower journey to complete the book.
The plot line gave me Izzie, her mother, and social worker Kate's POV, along with different timelines. Imogen's voice followed the author's plot to a T with different expressions and inflections in the tone to make me feel as if I were a part of the story.
I couldn't guess the ending, it was unexpected. I didn't have time to come up with my own theories as I was busy training my brain to just listen to the voice. My niggles were the story was very slow, and the voice sound kept increasing and decreasing in different chapters so I kept scrambling to increase and decrease the volume.
Overall, for my first audiobook, I had a fun time with it. Quite enjoyable.
July 23, 2019
I received a copy of this book from the publisher, in exchange for an honest review.
A real page-turner, plus some very well-realised exploration into social services.
I have to say, I've been having a bit of crime / thriller ennui recently (so many books seem to be so very similar in this genre) that I went in without much expectations. However, I'm pleased to report that this book had much in it that made it stand out - and as an examination of social services (and the level of work they have to do), it was fabulous.
Plot
Lizzie escapes an abusive relationship, and moves, with her son Tom, to a new area. It's a chance to start afresh, and she manages to get her son in a top academy. The only thing is, the school has some strange practices, and there's a van driving around, that reminds her suspiciously of her ex-husband's...
The big question in this book is - who is the real villain, and what the heck is wrong with Tom?
My Review
For me, the strongest aspect of this book was the inclusion of a social services worker. The author clearly knows the industry really well (or has done an admirable level of research), and really captured the stress and pressure that social workers have to endure. It also provided an interesting take on the classic 'detective' figure - we've got an investigator here who is over-worked, over-emotional and under-appreciated, and that worked fantastically.
The strange events in the school were likewise gripping. The author built a sense of anticipation and mystery that definitely had me turning the pages. And the exploration of domestic abuse was likewise convincing.
For me, the only problem was the ending (or the 'big reveal'). While it was clever, I felt it didn't tally with what had come before; it felt jarring. It also left me asking questions about previous events, which were now thrown into a different light. It's difficult to review this section without giving anything away, but for me, it wasn't quite successful.
However, that aside, I did really enjoy this book. I'd love the author to write something even more focused on social services, as it's such an under-explored (and under-appreciated) line of work.
A real page-turner, plus some very well-realised exploration into social services.
I have to say, I've been having a bit of crime / thriller ennui recently (so many books seem to be so very similar in this genre) that I went in without much expectations. However, I'm pleased to report that this book had much in it that made it stand out - and as an examination of social services (and the level of work they have to do), it was fabulous.
Plot
Lizzie escapes an abusive relationship, and moves, with her son Tom, to a new area. It's a chance to start afresh, and she manages to get her son in a top academy. The only thing is, the school has some strange practices, and there's a van driving around, that reminds her suspiciously of her ex-husband's...
The big question in this book is - who is the real villain, and what the heck is wrong with Tom?
My Review
For me, the strongest aspect of this book was the inclusion of a social services worker. The author clearly knows the industry really well (or has done an admirable level of research), and really captured the stress and pressure that social workers have to endure. It also provided an interesting take on the classic 'detective' figure - we've got an investigator here who is over-worked, over-emotional and under-appreciated, and that worked fantastically.
The strange events in the school were likewise gripping. The author built a sense of anticipation and mystery that definitely had me turning the pages. And the exploration of domestic abuse was likewise convincing.
For me, the only problem was the ending (or the 'big reveal'). While it was clever, I felt it didn't tally with what had come before; it felt jarring. It also left me asking questions about previous events, which were now thrown into a different light. It's difficult to review this section without giving anything away, but for me, it wasn't quite successful.
However, that aside, I did really enjoy this book. I'd love the author to write something even more focused on social services, as it's such an under-explored (and under-appreciated) line of work.
January 29, 2020
What. The. Hell?!
This book was actually amazing! Once I started it, I could not put it down. I mean, I read it in just over three hours.
I felt every emotion going while reading this. I felt sympathy for Lizzie and her son Tom; what they had been through, and were still going through... It was horrible to think any woman or child had to go through that. I felt anger and disgust at Olly and at the school. I felt empathy for the social workers. I work with children and often alongside social services so I see the daily toll it takes on them.
BUT...
In one of the craziest twists I've read, the whole story changes. Everything you think you knew is wrong, every feeling you felt was misplaced. I am SHOOK!
Genuinely one of the best books I've read in a very long time.
This book was actually amazing! Once I started it, I could not put it down. I mean, I read it in just over three hours.
I felt every emotion going while reading this. I felt sympathy for Lizzie and her son Tom; what they had been through, and were still going through... It was horrible to think any woman or child had to go through that. I felt anger and disgust at Olly and at the school. I felt empathy for the social workers. I work with children and often alongside social services so I see the daily toll it takes on them.
BUT...
In one of the craziest twists I've read, the whole story changes. Everything you think you knew is wrong, every feeling you felt was misplaced. I am SHOOK!
Genuinely one of the best books I've read in a very long time.
January 16, 2019
Lizzie and her son Tommy have escaped an abusive relationship and starting fresh in a new town. The school that social services have placed Tommy at is like a prison and when Tommy starts to act strangely and become ill the school is to blame.
This book was not what I expected and the ending was brilliant! The only drawback was Tommy is 7 but speaks like an older child then reverts to a younger child but that’s more me being the mum of a 10 year old and probably wishing my son was as eloquent!
This book was not what I expected and the ending was brilliant! The only drawback was Tommy is 7 but speaks like an older child then reverts to a younger child but that’s more me being the mum of a 10 year old and probably wishing my son was as eloquent!
June 25, 2020
Fino a tre quarti del libro .. lo trovato molto piatto .. lento .. però manca appunto l’ultimo quarto! 4 stelle?! Merito appunto del finale. Fatemi sapere come la pensate ;)
July 9, 2019
Review to follow.
August 2, 2019
Lizzie has run away from her Husband with her son Tom to make a fresh start after getting a court order to keep him away from her because of the abuse she told them she and Tom suffered.
But when Tom starts school there seems to be a whole new abuse opening up and Lizzie is desperate to get to the bottom of it, even if no-one is taking her worries seriously.
Is the teacher drugging the pupils? Has her ex found them?.
I am giving this a five stars because I really really enjoyed it. The story line was fantastic and was so good it had me fooled. I thought I knew who the baddie was and then wham, it was someone completely different, and I never saw that coming.
But when Tom starts school there seems to be a whole new abuse opening up and Lizzie is desperate to get to the bottom of it, even if no-one is taking her worries seriously.
Is the teacher drugging the pupils? Has her ex found them?.
I am giving this a five stars because I really really enjoyed it. The story line was fantastic and was so good it had me fooled. I thought I knew who the baddie was and then wham, it was someone completely different, and I never saw that coming.
September 13, 2020
Ok, I was really disappointed by this book and was prepared to give it only 1 star. This story really hit me hard so I thought about it, the main reasons for the disappointment was I was not expecting this type of storyline, title didn’t fit the story (as others have said) and that meant that I did not see the disturbing twist coming at the end. I was telling this to a friend and she told me that is what she looks for in a book-surprise endings-I do too but this hit me hard. So, two more stars.... This is a very disturbing storyline that’s all I’m going to say (no spoilers here)
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