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The Role Model
Heather is a single mum who has always done what's best for her daughter, Chloe. From birth up to the age of seventeen, Chloe has never been any trouble, until one night when she calls her mother with some shocking news.
There's been an accident. And now there's a dead body...
As always, Heather puts her daughter's safety before all else, but this is one time when she goes too far. Instead of calling the emergency services, Heather hides the body, saving her child from police interviews and public outcry.
But as Heather knows, everything she does has an impact on Chloe's behaviour, and as time goes on and the pair struggle to keep their sordid secret hidden, Heather begins to think that she hasn't been such a good mum after all.
In fact, she might have been the worst role model ever...
There's been an accident. And now there's a dead body...
As always, Heather puts her daughter's safety before all else, but this is one time when she goes too far. Instead of calling the emergency services, Heather hides the body, saving her child from police interviews and public outcry.
But as Heather knows, everything she does has an impact on Chloe's behaviour, and as time goes on and the pair struggle to keep their sordid secret hidden, Heather begins to think that she hasn't been such a good mum after all.
In fact, she might have been the worst role model ever...
281 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 18, 2021
998 people are currently reading
1463 people want to read
About the author
Daniel Hurst
95 books4,095 followersDaniel Hurst is an Amazon #1 bestselling author of fast paced psychological thrillers. His most popular titles include Til Death Do Us Part, The Passenger and The Doctor's Wife, the latter title reaching #1 on the Amazon UK Kindle store in February 2023. A regular KDP Select All Star since he became a full-time author in 2021, Daniel prides himself on writing fast, releasing stories often and engaging with his readers.
You can visit him at www.danielhurstbooks.com, where you can also download a copy of his FREE thriller 'Just One Second.'
You can visit him at www.danielhurstbooks.com, where you can also download a copy of his FREE thriller 'Just One Second.'
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 206 reviews
June 28, 2023
This was a total miss for me. It was so far-fetched that my unrealistic dreams seem more likely. Well, one can’t always produce something convincing when the author publish books faster than I’m able to read them!
April 30, 2022
I’m not going to talk about the plot in this review and I suggest if you are at all interested in reading it, do not read the synopsis on this site. It’s enough to know that Heather is a single mother to her teenage daughter, Chloe. One night Chloe calls her mother for help after a tragedy. How far will a mother go to protect her daughter? Pretty far it seems! There are lots of secrets to be revealed.
Daniel Hurst is a master at creating tightly plotted thrillers that are difficult to put down. His trademark is an ironic twist that you won’t see coming.
Don’t come looking for realism or an intricate plot. His books reminds me of the old Twilight Zone series, striking the balance between reality and fantasy while mining human nature and turning a family story upside down, showing the heights, and the depths, of human nature. All while being highly entertaining stories that rely on irony more than thrills.
His stories work particularly well on audio. Pop the popcorn, don’t look too deep and just read it as an entertaining story.
Daniel Hurst is a master at creating tightly plotted thrillers that are difficult to put down. His trademark is an ironic twist that you won’t see coming.
Don’t come looking for realism or an intricate plot. His books reminds me of the old Twilight Zone series, striking the balance between reality and fantasy while mining human nature and turning a family story upside down, showing the heights, and the depths, of human nature. All while being highly entertaining stories that rely on irony more than thrills.
His stories work particularly well on audio. Pop the popcorn, don’t look too deep and just read it as an entertaining story.
April 16, 2022
"The Role Model" gives new meaning to the word "unputdownable".
READER ALERT: Author Daniel Hurst is a gifted storyteller who wastes few words when weaving impossible-to-put-down, intricately woven, fast-paced plots with strong characterizations.
In "The Role Model", Daniel Hurst explores how far a mother will go to protect her beloved daughter, even if it means burying and concealing a dead body.
In addition to Daniel Hurst's signature twists, turns, and red herrings, this book also showcases the challenges of working single moms, the role and responsibilities of police officers, family secrets, and mental health.
Did this book have eye-rolling moments? Yes, plenty of them.
Could this story happen in real life? Probably not.
Yet, the book worked and I loved it. The ending had multiple twists and I especially enjoyed the final, final twist.
I listened to the audiobook and the narration was excellent.
This book was entertaining, enjoyable, and engaging and 6-hour audiobooks don't get better than that.
This is my fourth Daniel Hurst book and I am a huge fan.
READER ALERT: Author Daniel Hurst is a gifted storyteller who wastes few words when weaving impossible-to-put-down, intricately woven, fast-paced plots with strong characterizations.
In "The Role Model", Daniel Hurst explores how far a mother will go to protect her beloved daughter, even if it means burying and concealing a dead body.
In addition to Daniel Hurst's signature twists, turns, and red herrings, this book also showcases the challenges of working single moms, the role and responsibilities of police officers, family secrets, and mental health.
Did this book have eye-rolling moments? Yes, plenty of them.
Could this story happen in real life? Probably not.
Yet, the book worked and I loved it. The ending had multiple twists and I especially enjoyed the final, final twist.
I listened to the audiobook and the narration was excellent.
This book was entertaining, enjoyable, and engaging and 6-hour audiobooks don't get better than that.
This is my fourth Daniel Hurst book and I am a huge fan.
April 11, 2021
I first read Til Death Do Us Part and really enjoyed it so I downloaded this one immediately after. Both good and bad. The good is that it was as enjoyable as the first one but the 'bad' is that it had the same 'formula' so I figured out the twist/reveal very early on. . But again with the good, the storytelling was engrossing, clever and tight, no filler. And the final reveal was icing on an already tasty cake. I'm ready to read more by this very talented author.
March 27, 2021
Another page Turner from daniel hurst. I have enjoyed all of his stand alone thrillers this one was superb. It really makes you question “what would you do?” In the situations
Heather and Chloe are a single mum/only child duo and the book is told from both perspectives. Starting with a party where an accident takes place and ending with lots of twists and turns and us finally being asked “what would you do?”
Heather and Chloe are a single mum/only child duo and the book is told from both perspectives. Starting with a party where an accident takes place and ending with lots of twists and turns and us finally being asked “what would you do?”
October 6, 2023
Nope, really didn’t like this one, everyone here lacks motive for their weird crazy actions.
Heather, Jimmy, Chloe… it’s like they got a psycopath infection, no motive for their extreme actions.
It’s my first book for this author, not so sure about trying another one
Heather, Jimmy, Chloe… it’s like they got a psycopath infection, no motive for their extreme actions.
It’s my first book for this author, not so sure about trying another one
November 11, 2023
Another great thriller by the awesome Daniel Hurst!
November 7, 2021
Wow! I read this in less than a day and while the story itself was a page-turner, the questions it raised for me were even more perturbing. Heather is a single mum to her young daughter Chloe. She has done her level best to provide her child with a loving home and done her best to be a role model Chloe can aspire to. Unfortunately, her choice of partners has proved to be problematic. Firstly, there was Chloe's loser father, followed by Tim, a vile pedophile. Admirably, Heather has stepped up and played the part of a mum and dad by providing for and protecting her daughter. In addition, Heather has completed the necessary courses to join the Police Force. In fact, there isn't a thing Heather won't do to protect her daughter and the situation presents itself when a frantic call from Chloe late one night tests Heather and how far she is willing to go for Chloe. Thus begins a very slippery slope for mum and daughter and raises the following questions: what constitutes a good parent and role model? Do secrets ever remain secrets? Are blame and responsibility often misguidedly confused by parents? And last but by no means least what would you do in the various scenarios Heather finds herself? 5 stars
Sent from my Galaxy
Sent from my Galaxy
April 10, 2021
Horrible story.
July 24, 2022
Gripped from the start, psychological thriller at it's best. I found it hard to put this book down, read in 2 sittings and now I can't wait to read another intriguing book by Daniel Hurst.
August 30, 2022
Ohmygawd, The Role Model is so disturbing that it's impossible to put down! Daniel Hurst must have so much stuff living rent free in his head that all of it needs to be written down! No wonder he keeps churning out the books!
Mother and daughter Heather and Chloe Maguire have a very close bond. Chloe admires her mother, and wants to be just like her. Heather is a fierce mumma bear that won't stop at nothing to protect her daughter.
It's late at night when Heather receives a panicked phone call from her daughter. Turns out a night out has resulted in a death. Knowing that Chloe is facing a lot of scrutiny and possibly ruining her future, police officer Heather feels like she doesn't have a choice.
So she buries the body of Chloe's classmate in the deep and dark woods.
Thing is, this isn't the first time Heather has resorted to such extreme measures.
𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭.
You just know that everything isn't going to turn out well for this mother and daughter duo. It's a given, seeing how messed up their lives become after this horrid event. But in saying that, expect the unexpected friends. There's plenty of moments that will make you stop and wonder where on earth did THAT come from?!
Most definitely amongst my favourite Daniel Hurst books!
🌟🌟🌟🌟✨/5
Mother and daughter Heather and Chloe Maguire have a very close bond. Chloe admires her mother, and wants to be just like her. Heather is a fierce mumma bear that won't stop at nothing to protect her daughter.
It's late at night when Heather receives a panicked phone call from her daughter. Turns out a night out has resulted in a death. Knowing that Chloe is facing a lot of scrutiny and possibly ruining her future, police officer Heather feels like she doesn't have a choice.
So she buries the body of Chloe's classmate in the deep and dark woods.
Thing is, this isn't the first time Heather has resorted to such extreme measures.
𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭.
You just know that everything isn't going to turn out well for this mother and daughter duo. It's a given, seeing how messed up their lives become after this horrid event. But in saying that, expect the unexpected friends. There's plenty of moments that will make you stop and wonder where on earth did THAT come from?!
Most definitely amongst my favourite Daniel Hurst books!
🌟🌟🌟🌟✨/5
August 23, 2023
A MUST READ!
I have read a lot of Daniel Hurst books and I am obsessed with his books, the way he writes and tells such fascinating thrillers! He always grips me into his books and I find it hard to put them down.. but this book is by far one of the best written books I have read from him… the twists in this novel is beyond amazing.
Mother, heather, would do anything to protect her only child, Chloe. Like all mothers they would die for there children…
But how far will Heather go to protect her beloved daughter Chloe… how much pressure, anxiety, stress can one person have over there shoulders… this is a matter between life and death.
5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I have read a lot of Daniel Hurst books and I am obsessed with his books, the way he writes and tells such fascinating thrillers! He always grips me into his books and I find it hard to put them down.. but this book is by far one of the best written books I have read from him… the twists in this novel is beyond amazing.
Mother, heather, would do anything to protect her only child, Chloe. Like all mothers they would die for there children…
But how far will Heather go to protect her beloved daughter Chloe… how much pressure, anxiety, stress can one person have over there shoulders… this is a matter between life and death.
5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
January 18, 2025
I’ve been giving this author a try.. 4 books. This is book 3. They’re alll pretty mid and eh. It reminds me of a female author who pumps out quick thrillers with oohs and aahs.. 🙄
September 27, 2025
I have some mixed feelings about this book. There were parts that did not make much sense and felt unrealistic. I will get into that in a moment, but be aware that this will contain spoilers. The rest of the story was thrilling and entertaining, which I suppose was the point, but I cannot help feeling that the plot was built on a weak scenario.
Overall, I would give this book 4 stars. Despite the initial unrealistic setup, it was an entertaining read with plenty of unexpected twists.
🥀 - SPOILERS START -🥀
I cannot for the life of me understand why a mother, especially a police officer, would discourage her daughter from calling an ambulance if someone had accidentally died in her presence, and then try to cover it up even though no crime was committed. I enjoyed the read, but the story was built on a very far-fetched plot.
Towards the end, we find out why this was essential to the story: Chloe had killed him. Even so, I still feel it was an unnecessary move on the mother’s part, considering she did not know that and believed it was an accidental death. Her reason for covering it up and burying the body was to prevent Chloe from being linked to the incident, but this felt unlikely and unrealistic.
That aside, the rest of the story was interesting, and I cannot deny that I enjoyed it, particularly the plot twists. Heather had killed before, but in very different circumstances to her daughter. I thought it was intriguing to see the contrast in their thought processes. Heather acted to protect her daughter from a predator and in self-defence, whereas Chloe killed out of fun and fascination. This was also the case with Jimmy.
Overall, I would give this book 4 stars. Despite the initial unrealistic setup, it was an entertaining read with plenty of unexpected twists.
🥀 - SPOILERS START -🥀
I cannot for the life of me understand why a mother, especially a police officer, would discourage her daughter from calling an ambulance if someone had accidentally died in her presence, and then try to cover it up even though no crime was committed. I enjoyed the read, but the story was built on a very far-fetched plot.
Towards the end, we find out why this was essential to the story: Chloe had killed him. Even so, I still feel it was an unnecessary move on the mother’s part, considering she did not know that and believed it was an accidental death. Her reason for covering it up and burying the body was to prevent Chloe from being linked to the incident, but this felt unlikely and unrealistic.
That aside, the rest of the story was interesting, and I cannot deny that I enjoyed it, particularly the plot twists. Heather had killed before, but in very different circumstances to her daughter. I thought it was intriguing to see the contrast in their thought processes. Heather acted to protect her daughter from a predator and in self-defence, whereas Chloe killed out of fun and fascination. This was also the case with Jimmy.
September 22, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This is my personal 5 star rating system because I’m too lazy to write a review for every book.
5 stars -> OMFG. I couldn’t stop listening. I was engaged from beginning to end. The story & narrator was amazing. I 100% recommend this book & author. I was able to clearly follow each and every character.
4 stars -> It was pretty good. I would’ve rated 5 stars, But either the ending was lacking, I struggled to keep up with characters, or the story didn’t keep me fully engaged. The narrator was pretty good as well. I’m on the fence about recommending this book, It could go either way.
3 Stars -> It was boring at times & I missed chunks of the story. I most likely struggled to keep up with character developments. The only way I would recommend this book is if it was part of a series. The narrator was most likely average or just couldn’t fix a mediocre book.
2 Stars -> It was pretty horrible. I used it as background noise because I hadn’t had a chance to search for another book. The book either had a bad narrator, The character development was non existent, or the story was hot garbage. I would not recommend this book.
1 Star -> The absolute only reason I listened to this book was because i had no time to search for another one & I needed background noise. It was 1 step up from listening to the radio. I wouldn’t recommend this book to my worst enemy. Everything about this book was terrible. This is only recommended for people on death row and have absolutely nothing else to read.
5 stars -> OMFG. I couldn’t stop listening. I was engaged from beginning to end. The story & narrator was amazing. I 100% recommend this book & author. I was able to clearly follow each and every character.
4 stars -> It was pretty good. I would’ve rated 5 stars, But either the ending was lacking, I struggled to keep up with characters, or the story didn’t keep me fully engaged. The narrator was pretty good as well. I’m on the fence about recommending this book, It could go either way.
3 Stars -> It was boring at times & I missed chunks of the story. I most likely struggled to keep up with character developments. The only way I would recommend this book is if it was part of a series. The narrator was most likely average or just couldn’t fix a mediocre book.
2 Stars -> It was pretty horrible. I used it as background noise because I hadn’t had a chance to search for another book. The book either had a bad narrator, The character development was non existent, or the story was hot garbage. I would not recommend this book.
1 Star -> The absolute only reason I listened to this book was because i had no time to search for another one & I needed background noise. It was 1 step up from listening to the radio. I wouldn’t recommend this book to my worst enemy. Everything about this book was terrible. This is only recommended for people on death row and have absolutely nothing else to read.
October 12, 2023
Ehhhh, not the best. It just didn’t seem realistic in my opinion. Out of everything that happened, how the daughter turned out, I really don’t see how she couldn’t truly confess. I will say that I liked the ending, literally the last page of the book. It wasn’t enough to give a higher rating for me.
January 23, 2025
After reading The Role Model, I can confidently say that Daniel Hurst has officially earned the title of my favorite author. His ability to craft stories that feel so immersive, unpredictable, and emotionally charged is unparalleled. With The Role Model, he didn’t just deliver a great book—he delivered an experience.
I’m genuinely excited to dive into his other works, knowing I’ll be met with the same level of brilliance. If you haven’t read Daniel Hurst yet, do yourself a favor and start now.
September 27, 2025
I try hard not to leave bad reviews but this book was absolutely shocking. I basically skim read it as I’ve DNF’d too many books this year. It’s not just the complete and utter unrealistic aspects of it I couldn’t stand, but also the characters. They were absolutely insufferable and most of the book was an internal monologue from two characters. Worst book I’ve ever read ngl😂
September 18, 2021
Heather I desperate to keep her daughter Chloe safe. I was engrossed in this book from the start. It does make you question how far you would go to protect your child! I was engrossed in this book from the start . With jaw dropping revelations it's a great read
July 20, 2021
Very gripping!
May 18, 2022
Easy fast exciting
March 9, 2023
Brilliant book
Another great read from Daniel Hurst. Heather will do anything for her daughter Chloe but how far would she go. I recommend this book
Another great read from Daniel Hurst. Heather will do anything for her daughter Chloe but how far would she go. I recommend this book
March 10, 2023
Some unexpected things, kept it a little less obvious. Great read
May 22, 2023
Many twists sorta unbelievable but I enjoyed it.
February 4, 2024
3.5 rounded up
July 5, 2024
Pretty predictable. Not for me.
January 31, 2024
The Role Model ensures readers remain at the edge of their seats. The storytelling is enthralling, immersing readers in the characters' lives. Moral dilemmas encountered by the characters enhance the story's depth, creating a thought-provoking narrative. Just as you believe you've grasped it all, an unforeseen plot twist unfolds, leaving you astonished. In essence, The Role Model is an exhilarating read that will maintain your engagement until the story's conclusion.
October 5, 2025
3.5 stars
March 26, 2024
3.5 not the best but still good. I love Daniel Hurst for how gripping and fast paced his story telling is in general
Displaying 1 - 30 of 206 reviews