Let Me Go

An Ashley Hope Suspense Thriller #1

by Kate Bold

Ashley Hope is an average Southern woman, happily engaged, her whole life ahead of her,—until dark secrets from her past come bubbling up. She soon finds herself in a race against time to save herself—and her marriage—from her ex-husband turned serial killer, who will stop at nothing until he has her back.

Ashley has spent years trying to forget her past and the poverty-wracked childhood she escaped from. Her life is finally perfectly normal—and she’s worked hard to make it that way. Her new husband is wealthy and handsome. Their suburban house is a total dream. And with her master’s in criminal justice almost complete, Ashley is ready to move on with her life, confident that her secrets are buried for good.

But on a trip to her rural hometown, old tensions suddenly threaten to boil over. Her Polo-wearing husband sticks out dangerously among the hardened folk of Grundy County. And when the visit goes horribly awry, Ashley, handed shocking news, realizes the past has a stubborn way of coming back.

As Ashley’s carefully constructed life begins to splinter around her, she finds herself in a fight for her life, drawn deeper into a dangerous game of cat and mouse. This killer knows her better than anyone—and he’ll stop at nothing, murder included, to get her where he wants her.

Will her past finally claim her for good?

Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Fiction, Audiobook, Mystery Thriller, Suspense, Crime

268 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 26, 2021

About the author

Bestselling author Kate Bold is author of the ALEXA CHASE SUSPENSE THRILLER series, comprising six books (and counting); of the ASHLEY HOPE SUSPENSE THRILLER series, comprising six books (and counting); of the CAMILLE GRACE SUSPENSE THRILLER series, comprising eight books (and counting); of the HARLEY COLE SUSPENSE THRILLER series, comprising ten books (and counting); of the KAYLIE BROOKS SUSPENSE THRILLER series, comprising five books (and counting); and of the EVE HOPE SUSPENSE THRILLER series, comprising five books (and counting). Kate loves to hear from you, so please feel free to visit www.kateboldauthor.com to join the mailing list, receive free ebooks, hear the latest news, and stay in touch.

BOOKS BY KATE BOLD

EVE HOPE SUSPENSE THRILLER

IN HIS BLOOD (Book #1)

IN HIS SIGHTS (Book #2)

IN HIS REACH (Book #3)

IN HIS MIND (Book #4)

IN HIS WAY (Book #5)

(and counting)

KAYLIE BROOKS SUSPENSE THRILLER

LAST BREATH (Book #1)

LAST CHANCE (Book #2)

LAST WISH (Book #3)

LAST SHOT (Book #4)

LAST MISTAKE (Book #5)

(and counting)

HARLEY COLE SUSPENSE THRILLER

NOWHERE SAFE (Book #1)

NOWHERE LEFT (Book #2)

NOWHERE TO RUN (Book #3)

NOWHERE LIKE THIS (Book #4)

NOWHERE GIRL (Book #5)

NOWHERE TO HIDE (Book #6)

NOWHERE CERTAIN (Book #7)

NOWHERE PURE (Book #8)

NOWHERE SOUND (Book #9)

NOWHERE SANE (Book #10)

(and counting)

CAMILLE GRACE SUSPENSE THRILLER

NOT ME (Book #1)

NOT NOW (Book #2)

NOT WELL (Book #3)

NOT HER (Book #4)

NOT NORMAL (Book #5)

NOT AGAIN (Book #6)

NOT SAFE (Book #7)

NOT TODAY (Book #8)

(and counting)

ALEXA CHASE SUSPENSE THRILLER

THE KILLING GAME (Book #1)

THE KILLING TIDE (Book #2)

THE KILLING HOUR (Book #3)

THE KILLING POINT (Book #4)

THE KILLING FOG (Book #5)

THE KILLING PLACE (Book #6)

(and counting)

ASHLEY HOPE SUSPENSE THRILLER

LET ME GO (Book #1)

LET ME OUT (Book #2)

LET ME LIVE (Book #3)

LET ME BREATHE (Book #4)

LET ME FORGET (Book #5)

LET ME ESCAPE (Book #6)

(and counting)

Reviews

[Nicole Huie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I probably would have enjoyed reading this more than listening to the horrible narration of the audiobook. The awful southern accents and every male sounding like a 70 year old backwoods redneck was just too much to really get into it.

[Taylor Pelletier · Rating 2 out of 5]

Excuse my language but the husband in this story was the worst fucking character in any book I’ve read recently. I laughed out loud almost every time he talked because from the start of the book to the very end he just sucked. This book wasn’t great and I only finished it to count toward my yearly goal.

[Cindy B. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Most of Kate Bolding works are centered around the same theme but I don’t get tired of it. I like her characters (usually clean) and her plots.

I’ll finish tonight …while I’m dog sitting.

[Brooke (i blog 4 books)]

This book was pretty blah. The characters were one dimensional, and none of them were particularly likable (including the main character who was portrayed as a victim). Too many bad things happened to one person. Just not a ride I wanted to take. I kept thinking it would get better, but it never really did. I won’t be continuing this series.

[Laurie Aubrey · Rating 1 out of 5]

I simply could not finish this book - Ashley Hope is an engaged woman who neglected to disclose to her fiancé that (1) she had a previous marriage (2) had been pregnant (3) her now ex husband was convicted of attempted murder of Ashely herself. And now the ex has escaped from prison after being denied parole. Unlikeable characters. Unrealistic plot line. DNF

[Maddy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eh. Very predictable

[Dun's · Rating 3 out of 5]

First time reading Kate Bold and this is the first book in the Ashley Hope series. It's a quick suspense read with a familiar plot line and some action. 2.5 stars rounded up to 3.

[Anna Dalvi · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book started out well and it was interesting to see the culture clash between city-Tennessee and rural Tennessee. But as the book progressed it devolved into gun-toting redneck maniacs sneaking through the woods trying to get their guy. And don't even get me started on the pro-life thing.... A woman finds out she's unexpectedly pregnant as she's having issues in her relationship and immediately is flooded with a love greater than anything she's ever known. In the midst of a manhunt, she stocks up on prenatal vitamins and spends the rest of the book (2 days?) worrying about the health and safety of her baby, whilst simultaneously putting herself in extremely dangerous positions. Although I suppose she has a gun with which to protect herself..... Sigh.

[☠tsukino☠ · Rating 1 out of 5]

Non sapendo cosa leggere dopo aver finito la Slaughter, ho "sfogliato" il mio PW e sono stata incuriosita da questo titolo... ma perchè?
È una porcheria. Trama più che banale; scrittura anche peggio.
Non so se esistono dei libri, delle linee guida su come scrivere i libri (dovrò chiedere a Rossella) ma è proprio quello che comunica; uno svolgimento della trama scolastico.
Il mio problema è che non riesco ad abbandonare i libri (un po' come la sindrome di non avanzare cibo perchè è un peccato) per fortuna si legge in fretta.
Il dramma è che è una serie.
Il bene è che l'ho scaricato gratis da Amazon, per cui non ho speso soldi per questa roba.
Il primo libro trash dell'anno.

Edit
Ieri avevo scritto quando mi mancava il 30%, ho pensato che peggio di così ... invece no! Il peggio doveva ancora venire! Roba da rotolarsi dalle risate.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up
I could not put this down and stayed up way too late to finish it

[Brianna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found the ending to be very bland and predictable as well as the build up to the ending. I thought the actions of the characters, Steve in the beginning and the detective at the end, to be careless and unrealistic. Also, the entire situation with her fiancé felt like a way to just phase him out of the storyline, which seemed odd. And the incident that locked her husband away.. I would’ve like to see more in regards to Ethan’s character/personality/back story because the narrator stated how cunning and smart he was, yet his actions made him appear to be a madman without reason. I felt like there were details that held a 15-seconds-of-fame type of attention that you thought were going to be part of the plot but just were more statements of information.

Overall, decent story, easy read. I would read another in the series.

[Terri Corsetti · Rating 1 out of 5]

A waste of time, reading this.

The main character was one of the most annoying fictional characters I've ever experienced. Her constant running around as though she could actually accomplish anything against the terrible bogeyman of an ex, seemed pointless and naive. And the portrayal of every character was so stereotyped, it induced massive eye rolls! I sped read it, mainly because I thought it would get better, and then finished it because I had nothing else in hand. Should have read the back of cereal boxes instead.

[Aziza Wariraye · Rating 1 out of 5]

waste of time but it was free ebook so it’s what I get I guess

[Julia Corinne Nield · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick, creepy, thriller of a read! Was it predictable? Yes. Did it give me all the spooky vibes? Yes. Would I read another? Yes. Was it life changing? No, but a good way to get out of a reading slump. I couldn’t put it down.

[Lauren T · Rating 3 out of 5]

An easy 200 page thriller, needed to cleanse my pallet after all the romance I’ve been reading.
Moral of the story men <<<
Dunno who is worse the abusive ex turned serial killer or the Fiancé who found time to cheat whilst being hunted by said serial killer

[Jessie Fox · Rating 3 out of 5]

super fast moving, several murders, a few sketchy characters. This is one of those books that you base on vibes and not critical thinking. If you need the details of crime to be air tight, you won’t like this. But if you just want a book to fly through, I liked it!

[Kathy Parker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Backwoods Action

Enjoyed the excitement of following the clues to make the evil man pay. Who will be the last one standing

[Mollie Vick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick thriller read with lots of things going on! Ex husband bad guy who escapes prison and a fiancé who stinks - overall pretty good book

[Bond Boy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am not a huge triller reader, but this book was good. It kept me engaged and it was the perfect length. Overall, I enjoyed it. 🙂

[Brittany Gingerich · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a bad read

It was kind of unrealistic and predictable. A quick read if you are
waiting for a book you want to read to become available.

[Kimberley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have had this on my kindle for so long and finally decided to read it. Oh my! Could not put it down.. Read in a day :)

[Becky Opipari · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story was ok but the narration was terrible. The premise was great but the dialogue didn’t sound natural. Sounded stilted.

[lingg · Rating 1 out of 5]

I mean what was I expecting? I guess I shouldn't be surprised, it was free. This book is just not good, the characters are annoying, the story is mediocre and the dialogue is plain boring to hear/read. I found myself tired of listening to her talking nonstop about her ex husband like I get it he's out to get you, yada yada. She explained that he tried to kill her like more than eight times, it was getting too repetitive. The plot was way too simple and uninteresting. As for the audiobook, I read this review in Goodreads that described it perfectly: "every male sounding like a 70 year old backwoods redneck", so no, not helping. Also detective Lancing or whatever was the most useless detective I have ever encountered, I mean really, he just was not cooperating with Ashley at all, never considering what she had to say and don't get me started on the ending (what kind of police are you if you can't even shoot someone who isn't armed and just has his hands around her neck, but what do I know, right?). Overall, too damn long and not worth even listening to.

[Tara J · Rating 1 out of 5]

Weak heroine and bad southern stereotypes. I get some women are not inherently strong and confident and do not feel they deserve to be treated well, but this character had a loving home with a supportive family to buffer her. Her repeated questioning of her abilities, whether she deserved the love of others, and other nonsense was old before the story started. The plot is a bit thin, the pace slow at times, and the audiobook narration of southern accents was annoying. Sorry to be so negative of someone's hard work but this was not a book for me. Would have been a DNF but needed to stay awake on a long drive.

[judymellinnetzero.net · Rating 1 out of 5]

Appalachian bigotry

I had read the first book in another series by this author and, while it was not great, I decided I'd try another. Big mistake. In the first few chapters, all the author wrote about was how people from and in Appalachia hate themselves and those around them. The main character in the book feels left out because one of the neighbors has a regular get-together of young mothers and she is not invited as she think they are prejudiced against her because she came from the back woods. Seems more likely that it's because she isn't married and has no children. Not the series for me.

[Jodi Pomerleau · Rating 3 out of 5]

Predictable story line, but not a bad read. I just tired of the moaning about protecting her baby.....it was just too much. The readers don't need to be hammered over and over again about it. I like the building relationship between Ashley and the detective. While I won't be rushing out to buy another in the series, if I come across another, I will be okay to read it.

[Liza · Rating 3 out of 5]

It sounds silly but... I kept getting annoyed at how often 'her fiance' is referenced (instead of Brett). After I finished the book I checked. Fiance=118; Brett=320.

Clearly I imagined the excessive frequency. Anyway, it irritated me and so I deducted a star.

[Chane Pain · Rating 1 out of 5]

If the main character were 16, the book might make more sense. She comes across as whiny throughout the entire book, reading like a hormonal teenager. There is a noticeable lack of character development. I haven't even begun to address her brothers characters. The storyline feels unoriginal.

[Eva Edge · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love it. Fast peace and finally wasn't book where everyone stupidly keeps secrets and working behind the police even they know it's stupid. This was especially refreshing.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This gripping domestic thriller is a heart-pounding exploration of resilience, survival, and the lengths one woman will go to protect herself from her past. The story centers on Ashley, a young woman who has worked tirelessly to rebuild her life after enduring the trauma of domestic abuse. Just as she begins to find stability and hope in her new life—engaged to a wealthy, successful man and surrounded by a supportive family—her worst nightmare comes true: her abusive ex-husband escapes from prison. The news shatters her fragile sense of security, and she is thrust into a terrifying game of cat and mouse as her ex-husband hunts her down, determined to destroy everything she has worked for.

What makes this thriller so compelling is its ability to balance high-stakes action with deeply emotional character development. Ashley is a relatable and multifaceted protagonist, and her journey is both harrowing and inspiring. The author does an excellent job of portraying her internal struggles—her fear, her determination, and her unwavering will to survive. Despite the luxurious trappings of her new life with her fiancé, Ashley remains grounded and true to herself, a testament to her strength and authenticity. The contrast between her humble Appalachian upbringing and her current life among the elite adds another layer of tension, particularly as she navigates the judgmental attitudes of her future in-laws. This dynamic not only heightens the stakes but also underscores the theme of identity and belonging.

The supporting characters are equally well-drawn, particularly Ashley’s family. Her father and brothers are portrayed as fiercely loyal and protective, willing to risk everything to keep her safe. Their unwavering support provides a poignant counterpoint to the betrayal and violence she experienced in her past relationship. The juxtaposition of her loving family with the toxic relationship she escaped highlights the importance of healthy, supportive relationships in overcoming trauma.

The pacing of the novel is relentless, with each chapter delivering new twists and turns that keep the reader on the edge of their seat. The author masterfully builds tension, weaving together Ashley’s past and present to create a narrative that is as emotionally resonant as it is thrilling. The sense of urgency is palpable as Ashley goes on the run, and the stakes feel incredibly real. The rapid unfolding of events mirrors the chaos of Ashley’s life, making it impossible to put the book down.

One of the standout aspects of this novel is its exploration of the psychological impact of domestic abuse. The author doesn’t shy away from depicting the lingering scars of trauma, but they also highlight Ashley’s resilience and resourcefulness. Her fight for survival is not just physical but also emotional, as she confronts her fears and reclaims her agency. This nuanced portrayal adds depth to the story, elevating it beyond a typical thriller.

While the fast-paced nature of the book makes it a quick read, it also leaves you wishing it could last a little longer. The details unfold at a breakneck speed, keeping you fully engaged from start to finish. The ending is both satisfying and thought-provoking, leaving readers with a sense of closure while also reflecting on the broader themes of justice, redemption, and the enduring strength of the human spirit.

In conclusion, this is a must-read for fans of domestic thrillers. It’s a story that combines heart-stopping suspense with emotional depth, creating a narrative that is as moving as it is thrilling. Ashley’s journey is one of courage and resilience, and her story will stay with you long after you’ve turned the last page.