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The Stepson
He lost one family. Now he’s ready for another.
Psychotherapist Lulu is sure she’s the luckiest woman alive. She has a wonderful job and is married to the love of her life, Nick - who also happens to be ridiculously handsome and fabulously wealthy.
But now a shadow has fallen on her perfect life.
She can see that Nick is struggling with demons from his past. When he was sixteen his entire family disappeared without a trace and Nick has always insisted that his stepmother – whom he hated – was to blame, that she did something terrible to his beloved father and baby sister. And that trauma has left him feeling that anyone he loves is in danger, might vanish in a heartbeat.
So now he is obsessed with Lulu’s safety. He needs to know where she is 24/7, insists she carries a can of pepper spray, is constantly watching for any potential threats.
Lulu can see that this extreme anxiety is wearing Nick down. And as a therapist, she knows the only way to heal a trauma is to confront it. So she persuades him to return to the country house from which his family vanished.
But soon after they arrive in this sleepy rural community, another person disappears.
As Lulu is forced to question everything she knows about Nick and his missing family, dark secrets emerge from the past. The certainties of her old life fade away and are replaced by a horror she could never have imagined in her wildest nightmares.
The Stepson – the stunning psychological thriller perfect for fans of Teresa Driscoll, K L Slater, Daniel Hurst.
Psychotherapist Lulu is sure she’s the luckiest woman alive. She has a wonderful job and is married to the love of her life, Nick - who also happens to be ridiculously handsome and fabulously wealthy.
But now a shadow has fallen on her perfect life.
She can see that Nick is struggling with demons from his past. When he was sixteen his entire family disappeared without a trace and Nick has always insisted that his stepmother – whom he hated – was to blame, that she did something terrible to his beloved father and baby sister. And that trauma has left him feeling that anyone he loves is in danger, might vanish in a heartbeat.
So now he is obsessed with Lulu’s safety. He needs to know where she is 24/7, insists she carries a can of pepper spray, is constantly watching for any potential threats.
Lulu can see that this extreme anxiety is wearing Nick down. And as a therapist, she knows the only way to heal a trauma is to confront it. So she persuades him to return to the country house from which his family vanished.
But soon after they arrive in this sleepy rural community, another person disappears.
As Lulu is forced to question everything she knows about Nick and his missing family, dark secrets emerge from the past. The certainties of her old life fade away and are replaced by a horror she could never have imagined in her wildest nightmares.
The Stepson – the stunning psychological thriller perfect for fans of Teresa Driscoll, K L Slater, Daniel Hurst.
321 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 8, 2021
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5319 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 376 reviews
April 18, 2023
3.5⭐
Featuring ~ multiple POV, dual timeline, suicide
We've got the overprotective husband, Nick, that is worried something is going to happen to his wife, Lulu. Years ago his family disappeared and he thinks his stepmom is to blame. He can't stop feeling anxious that something might happen in his present life that mirrors his childhood.
But when we hear Maggie, the step-mom's, perspective we start to question Nick's story. She sounds terrified of Nick. It's step-son vs step-mom ~ who do we believe?
Dual timeline ~ 2019 (Lulu) & 1997 (Maggie) and 3 narrators ~ Mhairi Morrison, Katherine Littrell and Joshua Manning did an okay job for 9 hours and 6 minutes, easy to follow along at 2x. The accents did take me a bit to get used to.
Yes, yes it's predictable, so don't expect to try to figure out a mystery with this one. Still a good psychological read though.
*Thanks to Dreamscape Media, Jane Renshaw and NetGalley for the advance audiobook. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review*
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Featuring ~ multiple POV, dual timeline, suicide
We've got the overprotective husband, Nick, that is worried something is going to happen to his wife, Lulu. Years ago his family disappeared and he thinks his stepmom is to blame. He can't stop feeling anxious that something might happen in his present life that mirrors his childhood.
But when we hear Maggie, the step-mom's, perspective we start to question Nick's story. She sounds terrified of Nick. It's step-son vs step-mom ~ who do we believe?
Dual timeline ~ 2019 (Lulu) & 1997 (Maggie) and 3 narrators ~ Mhairi Morrison, Katherine Littrell and Joshua Manning did an okay job for 9 hours and 6 minutes, easy to follow along at 2x. The accents did take me a bit to get used to.
Yes, yes it's predictable, so don't expect to try to figure out a mystery with this one. Still a good psychological read though.
*Thanks to Dreamscape Media, Jane Renshaw and NetGalley for the advance audiobook. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review*
Follow me here ➡ Blog ~ Facebook
December 19, 2021
This book was fast paced and I finished it in less than a day. That being said, it also required me to suspend my disbelief throughout. The story is told from 2 POVs- Maggie, who is afraid of her teenaged stepson Nick in 1997; and Lulu, who is now married to Nick in 2019.
The story moves along quickly and I liked the back and forth between timeframes and perspectives. Nick himself was well characterized and his actions were often chilling. I had a really hard time with Lulu, who seemed ridiculously naive and not necessarily smart enough to be good at her job (which is important to the overall story). I liked Maggie, though some of her storyline was a bit over the top.
The ending of the book was satisfying but I can’t say that anything was that big of a surprise to me. I was hoping for a killer twist at some point but did not feel that it happened. Despite that, the book held my interest the entire way through. I’d give it 3.5 stars. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The story moves along quickly and I liked the back and forth between timeframes and perspectives. Nick himself was well characterized and his actions were often chilling. I had a really hard time with Lulu, who seemed ridiculously naive and not necessarily smart enough to be good at her job (which is important to the overall story). I liked Maggie, though some of her storyline was a bit over the top.
The ending of the book was satisfying but I can’t say that anything was that big of a surprise to me. I was hoping for a killer twist at some point but did not feel that it happened. Despite that, the book held my interest the entire way through. I’d give it 3.5 stars. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
December 22, 2021
I received a gifted advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review as part of the book tour hosted by Zooloos Book Tours.
The Stepson is a gripping page-turner told from two POVs - Maggie (in 1997) who is Nicks stepmother and who is being targeted by Nick due to his obsessive relationship with his father, and Lulu (present day 2019) who is Nicks wife and only been married to him for several months.
Nick is a psychopath and causes pain and suffering to everyone around him, except those he deems as loving.
This was a gripping, fast paced and nail biting read that I couldn't pull away from. Nick would scare the pants off me! My heart really went out to both women, past and present, especially Maggie. I absolutely loved the twists at the end of the book especially the very last one!
Definitely a book you don't want to miss out on!
The Stepson is a gripping page-turner told from two POVs - Maggie (in 1997) who is Nicks stepmother and who is being targeted by Nick due to his obsessive relationship with his father, and Lulu (present day 2019) who is Nicks wife and only been married to him for several months.
Nick is a psychopath and causes pain and suffering to everyone around him, except those he deems as loving.
This was a gripping, fast paced and nail biting read that I couldn't pull away from. Nick would scare the pants off me! My heart really went out to both women, past and present, especially Maggie. I absolutely loved the twists at the end of the book especially the very last one!
Definitely a book you don't want to miss out on!
December 8, 2021
Psychotherapist Lulu is married to a man still struggling with demons from his past. When he was a teenage, his father, step=mother, and half-sister disappeared... leaving him in the care of an aunt and uncle. There was never any trace of the missing family. In fact, the police somewhat suspected Nick of killing then and burying the bodies. But Nick told police he suspected his step-mother was to blame. That trauma has left him feeling that anyone he loves is in danger, might vanish in a heartbeat.
Lulu is getting a little weary of Nick's obsession with where she is every hour of every day. He's increasingly becoming more anxious, even insisting that she carry pepper spray in case someone tries to kidnap her.
As a therapist, she knows the only way to heal a trauma is to confront it. So she persuades him to return to the country house from which his family vanished.
And shortly after, another family member disappears. As Lulu is forced to question everything she knows about Nick and his missing family, dark secrets emerge from the past.
This is a riveting tale, the story line moving from the past, before Nick's family disappeared, to today with Lulu as the narrator. As a reader, I found it hard to believe Nick's memories, but at the same time, with the step-mother's past history, I could easily believe she may have been responsible. So whose memories are we to believe? There are twists and turns that swirl around the turbulence of human emotions. The characters are deftly drawn ... the angst, the fear, the uncertainty is palpable. The conclusion was terrifying and totally unexpected.
Many thanks to the author / Inkubator Books / Netgalley for this gripping psychological thriller. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
Lulu is getting a little weary of Nick's obsession with where she is every hour of every day. He's increasingly becoming more anxious, even insisting that she carry pepper spray in case someone tries to kidnap her.
As a therapist, she knows the only way to heal a trauma is to confront it. So she persuades him to return to the country house from which his family vanished.
And shortly after, another family member disappears. As Lulu is forced to question everything she knows about Nick and his missing family, dark secrets emerge from the past.
This is a riveting tale, the story line moving from the past, before Nick's family disappeared, to today with Lulu as the narrator. As a reader, I found it hard to believe Nick's memories, but at the same time, with the step-mother's past history, I could easily believe she may have been responsible. So whose memories are we to believe? There are twists and turns that swirl around the turbulence of human emotions. The characters are deftly drawn ... the angst, the fear, the uncertainty is palpable. The conclusion was terrifying and totally unexpected.
Many thanks to the author / Inkubator Books / Netgalley for this gripping psychological thriller. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
May 8, 2022
2,5 stars.
Normally I understand that someone might be duped and therefore act stupidly, but in this novel I just couldn’t feel sympathy for Lulu. She’s a psychologist, and even if her devotion was explained by her over empathic mindset, it just didn’t make sense that she was so convinced by Nick’s innocence. Moreover, there was no thrilling moments in the book. No wondering who done it, and that works in certain novels, but I like my twists and the novel had none. The writing style was good, though. With a better storyline I’m sure Renshaw can produce a good psychological thriller.
Normally I understand that someone might be duped and therefore act stupidly, but in this novel I just couldn’t feel sympathy for Lulu. She’s a psychologist, and even if her devotion was explained by her over empathic mindset, it just didn’t make sense that she was so convinced by Nick’s innocence. Moreover, there was no thrilling moments in the book. No wondering who done it, and that works in certain novels, but I like my twists and the novel had none. The writing style was good, though. With a better storyline I’m sure Renshaw can produce a good psychological thriller.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 13, 2022
Lulu is a therapist who uses some unique methods with her patients, but she’s good at what she does. She’s newly married to Nick who lost his mother to an accidental fall down the stairs as a kid. A few years later, his dad remarried and had another baby with Maggie. On a day trip with friends, teen Nick arrives home to find his whole family has vanished without a trace. It looks like they left in a hurry and didn’t want him to come. Some think they’re dead, some think they ran, but why? It’s a mystery and has been covered in true crime documentaries. Nick is convinced Maggie killed his family. Alone, a sad Nick was ushered away to boarding school.
Maggie sings a different tune though. She had her own issues as a youth, but she says Nick is cruel and dangerous. It doesn’t sound like the charming Nick we know now but there are a few red flags like his possessiveness over Lulu and his attitude toward her patients and mental health in general.
Lulu wants to take Nick to his childhood home where it all began to use some of her PTSD junk science to help him heal but is going back to ground zero the best idea? As his past fuses with the present, she’s not sure he was the best stepson.
This was a creepy thrill ride! I liked the dual POVs of present day Lulu and 1997 Maggie. It kept a lot of the suspense up until the story came together in the end. The end was my only issue because it got more and more ridiculous as it arrived there and I started to think they were all kind of stupid. There were new characters that I kept forgetting. Still, the journey was worth it.
Thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the advanced audio copy! The narration was great.
Maggie sings a different tune though. She had her own issues as a youth, but she says Nick is cruel and dangerous. It doesn’t sound like the charming Nick we know now but there are a few red flags like his possessiveness over Lulu and his attitude toward her patients and mental health in general.
Lulu wants to take Nick to his childhood home where it all began to use some of her PTSD junk science to help him heal but is going back to ground zero the best idea? As his past fuses with the present, she’s not sure he was the best stepson.
This was a creepy thrill ride! I liked the dual POVs of present day Lulu and 1997 Maggie. It kept a lot of the suspense up until the story came together in the end. The end was my only issue because it got more and more ridiculous as it arrived there and I started to think they were all kind of stupid. There were new characters that I kept forgetting. Still, the journey was worth it.
Thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the advanced audio copy! The narration was great.
August 18, 2022
Ever read a book where you think you can guess what's going on, but keep waiting for the big reveal that will turn the seemingly obvious on its head? I won't spoil it, but if you love twists and thrills, this is not the book for you.
As well, if you need to find a character to relate to, just one character you can dig into and think "yeah, I'd be freaking out too" or "sure, why wouldn't she assume that?", again, this is not the book for you. I couldn't find anything to appreciate about oh-so-naïve Lulu the therapist's character. As for her new hubs, Nick: UGH. Everyone was written so predictably, like they were intended to be caricatures. I gave up trying to care, and felt exasperated for the entire second half of the book as they struggled with simply ridiculous situations and mindsets.
The audio narration was surprisingly great for such a meh book. I enjoyed how well all the different accents and distinct characters were done, even when what they were saying was making my eyes roll.
A big thanks to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for providing this book in exchange for an honest review. I wish I could say I enjoyed it, but honestly, it was such a predictable letdown.
As well, if you need to find a character to relate to, just one character you can dig into and think "yeah, I'd be freaking out too" or "sure, why wouldn't she assume that?", again, this is not the book for you. I couldn't find anything to appreciate about oh-so-naïve Lulu the therapist's character. As for her new hubs, Nick: UGH. Everyone was written so predictably, like they were intended to be caricatures. I gave up trying to care, and felt exasperated for the entire second half of the book as they struggled with simply ridiculous situations and mindsets.
The audio narration was surprisingly great for such a meh book. I enjoyed how well all the different accents and distinct characters were done, even when what they were saying was making my eyes roll.
A big thanks to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for providing this book in exchange for an honest review. I wish I could say I enjoyed it, but honestly, it was such a predictable letdown.
July 20, 2022
I kept waiting for a bomb to drop as I plowed through this intriguing psychological thriller but there were none to be found. I think that was my biggest letdown with this book. It needed a big twist at the end. The plot was a bit too one note. The description somewhat misleading. However, if one enjoys thrillers without twists or turns - basically what you see if what you get - then I think one will enjoy this book. I need more depth in my plots and characters. I will also mention that Lulu was too naive and clueless for me to relate to, which made her chapters less engaging.
The audio was terrific. Fabulous performance with a broad range of voices by the narrator.
Thank you to Dreamscape Media and Netgalley for an advanced audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
The audio was terrific. Fabulous performance with a broad range of voices by the narrator.
Thank you to Dreamscape Media and Netgalley for an advanced audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
February 22, 2022
Great thriller. If you’ve read The Push you’ll love this.
Told in 2 povs from the past and present
Lulu had known Nick for 6 months before she married him. Nick telling her about his awful past and the disappearance of his family.
What he didn’t tell her was that he hated his step mother and new born step sister so much when he was 16.
His mother mysteriously dying by suicide.
When everything started falling into place for Lulu she wasn’t sure what to believe.
The past then catches up with the present and everything gets very chilling.
Definitely a page turner with a satisfying ending.
If you love thrillers I can’t recommend this more. Worth the read
Told in 2 povs from the past and present
Lulu had known Nick for 6 months before she married him. Nick telling her about his awful past and the disappearance of his family.
What he didn’t tell her was that he hated his step mother and new born step sister so much when he was 16.
His mother mysteriously dying by suicide.
When everything started falling into place for Lulu she wasn’t sure what to believe.
The past then catches up with the present and everything gets very chilling.
Definitely a page turner with a satisfying ending.
If you love thrillers I can’t recommend this more. Worth the read
December 10, 2021
Oh my god I loved this book so much! The plot was so interesting and kept me hooked the entire time. It was so interesting trying to figure out what happened with all of the incidents in the past timeline and trying to piece together the story. I enjoyed the multiple timelines as we could compare Nick as a teenager and him as an adult to draw parallels. I didn't particularly like Lulu though, I found her to be very naive and a little bit annoying however her character definitely got better at the ending of the book.
5/5 stars. Thank you to NetGalley and the author for this copy to review.
5/5 stars. Thank you to NetGalley and the author for this copy to review.
March 31, 2022
Books rarely make me angry, but this one did. Completely predictable and boring. There was no twist at all! The bad guy is obvious from the beginning, I knew what happened to the family from the prologue itself, it was so cliche it was ridiculous.
Maggie was not awful, but her inner monologue was very irritating. At least she was a normal, flawed character.
Lulu, on the other hand, is a complete idiot. I have never disliked a character as much as I disliked her. She is supposed to be a psychologist, but with her childishness and stupidity, there is no way she could pass one year of studying psychology. Let alone enough to become qualified!
She is honestly, a terribly weak person.
I just don't understand how this can be believable. Almost everyone, especially a TRAINED psychologist, can spot stalker behavior. Almost everyone gets a bad vibe from someone, or becomes at least a bit nervous around creepy behavior.
Not Lulu though!
And her thought process! One minute she fears him, the next she is going on about how much he loves her and how she adores him.
Im sorry, but if a group of people are telling you that someone is dangerous, maybe you should listen!
And lets not forget how she let a psychopathic murderer loose on the very people trying to hide from him. But in her defense, he is misunderstood! BLURGH! Then he goes and kills one of them.
Absolutely ridiculous!
Maggie was not awful, but her inner monologue was very irritating. At least she was a normal, flawed character.
Lulu, on the other hand, is a complete idiot. I have never disliked a character as much as I disliked her. She is supposed to be a psychologist, but with her childishness and stupidity, there is no way she could pass one year of studying psychology. Let alone enough to become qualified!
She is honestly, a terribly weak person.
I just don't understand how this can be believable. Almost everyone, especially a TRAINED psychologist, can spot stalker behavior. Almost everyone gets a bad vibe from someone, or becomes at least a bit nervous around creepy behavior.
Not Lulu though!
And her thought process! One minute she fears him, the next she is going on about how much he loves her and how she adores him.
Im sorry, but if a group of people are telling you that someone is dangerous, maybe you should listen!
And lets not forget how she let a psychopathic murderer loose on the very people trying to hide from him. But in her defense, he is misunderstood! BLURGH! Then he goes and kills one of them.
Absolutely ridiculous!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 22, 2022
ARC audiobook provided in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed the different narrators and their accents were spot on! It was very easy to listen to their voices and the story held my attention the entire time. There were a few parts that made me so mad I wanted to throw my phone and smack Lulu but I liked how it was all wrapped up in the end! I would definitely recommend to anyone who likes warped stories about family dysfunction, relationships with psychos, and all the twists to go along with it!
I really enjoyed the different narrators and their accents were spot on! It was very easy to listen to their voices and the story held my attention the entire time. There were a few parts that made me so mad I wanted to throw my phone and smack Lulu but I liked how it was all wrapped up in the end! I would definitely recommend to anyone who likes warped stories about family dysfunction, relationships with psychos, and all the twists to go along with it!
August 1, 2024
Psychotherapist Lulu is suddenly forced to question her husband and the very dark secrets from the past.
Although this thriller was pacey, entertaining, and well-written, it was mundanely predictable and lacked the twists and element of suspense I was seeking.
I listened to the audiobook I especially enjoyed the full-cast narration by Mhairi Morrison, Katherine Littrell, and Joshua Manning.
Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 9, 2022
"He lost one family. Now he is ready for another." Meet NICK.
Scotland author Jane Renshaw's THE STEPSON is a WILD cat-and-mouse domestic suspense tale with unreliable narrators. Told from two periods and POVs: a grown stepson's (now a man) new wife and his former stepmother. Two different tales. Which one is lying?
(2019) Psychotherapist Lulu (Nick's wife) has a great job and is married to Nick. He is wealthy and handsome. Even though they did not date long, she feels lucky until she sees Nick being too overprotective and becomes concerned.
NICK had a tragic childhood. Was he a victim or the predator? His mother died due to an accidental fall, and Nick was the one who found her at age fourteen. His father, Duncan Clyde, remarries a woman named Maggie two years later. She also had a troubled childhood. Nick does not like her, especially when she gets pregnant, and now he has a little half-sister. Maggie also comes from a different class background and is strong.
(1997) Maggie (stepmother): Maggie thinks Nick is evil and manipulative. He uses her past against her and her insecurities. He puts up a good front around the dad, so the dad does not take Maggie's concerns about Nick's behavior seriously. (Duncan and Lulu are alike). Maggie thinks Nick is threatening. The dad says he is just being a teenager and blows it off. It is a constant game of cat-and-mouse between the two. Maggie has a different take on Nick, and it is not pretty.
Now, Lulu's marriage is strained by Nicks's paranoia. They had only met six months earlier when she was on tour. Nick is a day trader and seems to have it all, but his constant worrying about Lulu and questioning her about everything, even her clients- his behavior is annoying and disturbing.
Lulu believes it stems from his tragic childhood and feels like he must face the past to move on and deal with it. They live in London in a posh penthouse, and Nick is so thoughtful. However, he has two sides. His overprotectiveness is over the top and getting out of control.
Here is the strange part: In Nick's past, his entire family just disappeared one day while he was out for the day with a school friend. His dad, Duncan, his stepmom, Maggie, and two-month-old baby Isla (half-sister) were never seen again. Nick contends Maggie killed his family.
Nick was under investigation but was cleared due to his alibi. He was sent to boarding school and stayed with his relatives for a few weeks a year.
Since Lulu is a Psychotherapist, she wants to help. She wants him to go back to the scene of the crime. He fears that his new wife will be taken away. She persuades him to take a few weeks off, and they travel to his childhood home.
After they arrive, strange things occur. Another family member disappears. Does Lulu know her husband? Can she trust him? Is he more troubled than she is aware? Is he dangerous, and what is he hiding?
Did Nick kill his family? Did he have anything to do with his mother’s death? Did his stepmom orchestrate the whole scheme? Is Nick innocent? What happened to Nick’s aunt when she vanished. So many questions, lies, and secrets.
My Thoughts: I am reviewing the audiobook only. Honestly, the audiobook was like an over-the-top bad tennis match back and forth with highly dysfunctional characters. A bad train wreck. No likable characters here. Maggie sounds like an evil monster (is it justified or just the way Nick sees her)? Nick is a psychopath. Lulu is naive, has her head in the sand, and does not even seem like a therapist if she cannot judge the man's mentality. She seems like a love-sick teen and ignores the dangerous behavior of her husband.
There is NO big twist that the book describes. I kept waiting for it but never happened. I did like the last line. I would describe this as more of domestic suspense and not a whodunit psychological thriller. I was not invested in the story and found myself fast-forwarding and skipping over the grinding parts (especially Maggie).
Possibly this book would be better as a reading copy versus an audiobook. I basing this review on my personal listening experience. A lot of drama (too much for me), not that engaging, and the narrator's voices were grinding and annoying. I usually enjoy Joshua Manning; however, in this case, assume it was due to the characters and the storyline. Narrated by Mhairi Morrison, Katherine Littrell, and Joshua Manning
I have been trying out audiobooks to expand my UK author coverage, which I have found through NetGalley and have enjoyed. I will pick up another book by the author as have heard great things.
Thank you to #DreamscapeMedia and #NetGalley for an ALC to listen, review, and enjoy for an honest review.
Blog Review Posted @
www.JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 3 Stars
Pub Date: Aug 9, 2022
Scotland author Jane Renshaw's THE STEPSON is a WILD cat-and-mouse domestic suspense tale with unreliable narrators. Told from two periods and POVs: a grown stepson's (now a man) new wife and his former stepmother. Two different tales. Which one is lying?
(2019) Psychotherapist Lulu (Nick's wife) has a great job and is married to Nick. He is wealthy and handsome. Even though they did not date long, she feels lucky until she sees Nick being too overprotective and becomes concerned.
NICK had a tragic childhood. Was he a victim or the predator? His mother died due to an accidental fall, and Nick was the one who found her at age fourteen. His father, Duncan Clyde, remarries a woman named Maggie two years later. She also had a troubled childhood. Nick does not like her, especially when she gets pregnant, and now he has a little half-sister. Maggie also comes from a different class background and is strong.
(1997) Maggie (stepmother): Maggie thinks Nick is evil and manipulative. He uses her past against her and her insecurities. He puts up a good front around the dad, so the dad does not take Maggie's concerns about Nick's behavior seriously. (Duncan and Lulu are alike). Maggie thinks Nick is threatening. The dad says he is just being a teenager and blows it off. It is a constant game of cat-and-mouse between the two. Maggie has a different take on Nick, and it is not pretty.
Now, Lulu's marriage is strained by Nicks's paranoia. They had only met six months earlier when she was on tour. Nick is a day trader and seems to have it all, but his constant worrying about Lulu and questioning her about everything, even her clients- his behavior is annoying and disturbing.
Lulu believes it stems from his tragic childhood and feels like he must face the past to move on and deal with it. They live in London in a posh penthouse, and Nick is so thoughtful. However, he has two sides. His overprotectiveness is over the top and getting out of control.
Here is the strange part: In Nick's past, his entire family just disappeared one day while he was out for the day with a school friend. His dad, Duncan, his stepmom, Maggie, and two-month-old baby Isla (half-sister) were never seen again. Nick contends Maggie killed his family.
Nick was under investigation but was cleared due to his alibi. He was sent to boarding school and stayed with his relatives for a few weeks a year.
Since Lulu is a Psychotherapist, she wants to help. She wants him to go back to the scene of the crime. He fears that his new wife will be taken away. She persuades him to take a few weeks off, and they travel to his childhood home.
After they arrive, strange things occur. Another family member disappears. Does Lulu know her husband? Can she trust him? Is he more troubled than she is aware? Is he dangerous, and what is he hiding?
Did Nick kill his family? Did he have anything to do with his mother’s death? Did his stepmom orchestrate the whole scheme? Is Nick innocent? What happened to Nick’s aunt when she vanished. So many questions, lies, and secrets.
My Thoughts: I am reviewing the audiobook only. Honestly, the audiobook was like an over-the-top bad tennis match back and forth with highly dysfunctional characters. A bad train wreck. No likable characters here. Maggie sounds like an evil monster (is it justified or just the way Nick sees her)? Nick is a psychopath. Lulu is naive, has her head in the sand, and does not even seem like a therapist if she cannot judge the man's mentality. She seems like a love-sick teen and ignores the dangerous behavior of her husband.
There is NO big twist that the book describes. I kept waiting for it but never happened. I did like the last line. I would describe this as more of domestic suspense and not a whodunit psychological thriller. I was not invested in the story and found myself fast-forwarding and skipping over the grinding parts (especially Maggie).
Possibly this book would be better as a reading copy versus an audiobook. I basing this review on my personal listening experience. A lot of drama (too much for me), not that engaging, and the narrator's voices were grinding and annoying. I usually enjoy Joshua Manning; however, in this case, assume it was due to the characters and the storyline. Narrated by Mhairi Morrison, Katherine Littrell, and Joshua Manning
I have been trying out audiobooks to expand my UK author coverage, which I have found through NetGalley and have enjoyed. I will pick up another book by the author as have heard great things.
Thank you to #DreamscapeMedia and #NetGalley for an ALC to listen, review, and enjoy for an honest review.
Blog Review Posted @
www.JudithDCollins.com
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My Rating: 3 Stars
Pub Date: Aug 9, 2022
December 17, 2021
What if you knew your Stepson was evil but no one believed you. That's the premise of The Stepson by Jane Renshaw. The story goes back and forth between 1997 and 2019 and is from told from the viewpoints of Maggie, Lulu and Nick. The book kept me guessing and the ending was a surprise. A totally entertaining book.
February 22, 2022
Overall a fairly good read, with a nice little twist at the end. It started out fairly promising but as the story developed I couldn’t help but want to shake the main character for being so stupid. And she’s a psychologist?? C’mon.. and there didn’t seem to be any character development in the father. He was really annoying me at the end. But like I said, overall not a bad read, entertaining and a good plot line!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 1, 2021
Thank you Netgalley and Author Jane Renshaw for this ARC.
I struggled with this book. The story was interesting, gripping--is Nick, a son husband, a murderer?--but the characters and the writing were not good. The writing was weak and so repetitive. The characters were bland and unlikeable.
I struggled with this book. The story was interesting, gripping--is Nick, a son husband, a murderer?--but the characters and the writing were not good. The writing was weak and so repetitive. The characters were bland and unlikeable.
January 5, 2022
Confused by the tagline of “a twist you won’t see coming” when there wasn’t really a twist?
September 14, 2022
HOW DOES THIS BOOK HAVE A 4+ star rating?! It’s terrible! Not a thriller at all, you knew exactly what happened so many years ago, the plot literally told you what happened…And twist?? What twist? Again they told you!! I wasn’t sure how I felt about this book in the beginning. Chapters alternate between past and present 22 years apart from Nick’s step mother, Maggie and now wife, LuLu’s point of views which I usually like. The book is consumed with a lot of Australian/Scottish/British slang, not normally heard in America and most parts really flew over my head especially supposed to be “funny” parts, but they were not at all. Overly used bad language, so many f words it just was increasingly cringy and difficult to want to continue to read at times.
This book has everything I hate, and I mean hate. Inconsistency, random, unimportant thoughts and dialogue. Rushed parts that actually could be interesting and give the book depth and then the author goes off on a tangent for pages n pages of no value. No true substance, I felt no relationship to the characters and honestly there weren’t really relationships between themselves. It was nonsense. This book made me so angry, when I thought parts were getting better or a slight bit of importance happening it just failed me again and again. I cannot even try to give this book a 2. It’s a 1 all the way. Don’t waste your time.
This book has everything I hate, and I mean hate. Inconsistency, random, unimportant thoughts and dialogue. Rushed parts that actually could be interesting and give the book depth and then the author goes off on a tangent for pages n pages of no value. No true substance, I felt no relationship to the characters and honestly there weren’t really relationships between themselves. It was nonsense. This book made me so angry, when I thought parts were getting better or a slight bit of importance happening it just failed me again and again. I cannot even try to give this book a 2. It’s a 1 all the way. Don’t waste your time.
December 19, 2021
If you get easily creeped out and uncomfortable of reading about psychopathic behaviors, then this book is DEFINITELY not for you🤦♀️
Now let's talk about the technicalities of the book, the very first chapter wasn't one to get you feel hooked immediately, you have to keep going for a little bit for the picture to be clear, the transition between the narrators from the past to the present was a little bit poorly written.
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The characters weren't ones you feel attached to, all of them were kind of flawed and did have major complexes so it was a little bit hard to actually care.
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The best side about the book was the way the author wrote the details of the abuse the characters were dealing with, it felt so infuriating and compressing reading the details of what was going on.
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The ending was satisfactory, although not that strong, the book wasn't actually one of the author's best books .
* I received an ARC of this book in exchange of an honest review via netgalley and the publisher*
Now let's talk about the technicalities of the book, the very first chapter wasn't one to get you feel hooked immediately, you have to keep going for a little bit for the picture to be clear, the transition between the narrators from the past to the present was a little bit poorly written.
.
The characters weren't ones you feel attached to, all of them were kind of flawed and did have major complexes so it was a little bit hard to actually care.
.
The best side about the book was the way the author wrote the details of the abuse the characters were dealing with, it felt so infuriating and compressing reading the details of what was going on.
.
The ending was satisfactory, although not that strong, the book wasn't actually one of the author's best books .
* I received an ARC of this book in exchange of an honest review via netgalley and the publisher*
August 8, 2022
An enjoyable read and great audio! The Stepson overall was a suspenseful and captivating audiobook that I was able to get through in just a few days. However, it was definitely predictable. For me, the predictability did not take away from the story and there were some surprises waiting for me at the very end. The audio was very well done, and I enjoyed having multiple narrators for different POV.
A big thank you to NetGalley, Dreamscape Media, and Jane Renshaw for providing me with this advanced listening copy in exchange for my honest review.
A big thank you to NetGalley, Dreamscape Media, and Jane Renshaw for providing me with this advanced listening copy in exchange for my honest review.
July 13, 2022
4.5 stars
Loved it!!!! Loved the story, loved the characters, loved the writing!!
A great mystery about a young man who might or might not be as diabolical as his step mom describes him to be. The story is told from two perspectives, past and present and in the end they both come together nicely.
I also loved the ending. Felt like a great redemption!
Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for allowing me to read this awesome book!!
Loved it!!!! Loved the story, loved the characters, loved the writing!!
A great mystery about a young man who might or might not be as diabolical as his step mom describes him to be. The story is told from two perspectives, past and present and in the end they both come together nicely.
I also loved the ending. Felt like a great redemption!
Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for allowing me to read this awesome book!!
August 22, 2022
Really good, but who tf writes a book without a plot twist?
December 10, 2021
The story is split between events that occurred in 1997 and then modern day 2019, for members of the Clyde family at their home in Scotland, called Sunnyside. When Nick Clyde was fourteen, his mother died after an accidental fall and he was the one to find her. Two years later, his father Duncan has remarried a woman called Maggie, who he first met when she attended his youth work scheme after her release from the Young Offenders Institute for an assault. She had a rough childhood and managed to change her life about and open her own café, but is from a totally different background and generation from her new husband. Duncan can finally relax and act more unrefined with Maggie and it seems to suit him. Maggie is pregnant and due shortly. Nick had to stay with his Aunt Yvonne and Uncle Michael on their adjoining farm, after Maggie got her way with the honeymoon. He doesn’t take well to Maggie’s presence and his father Duncan thinks he is just acting as a typical teenager, whilst Maggie finds his behaviour and comments to her quite threatening. He always seems to make them out of hearing of anyone else though and brings up her past and her mental health all the time!
In the modern part of the story, Nick is now married to a psychotherapist called Lulu, who he only met six months ago when she was on a tour of Europe. She was brought up and lived on a remote homestead in Australia and was always forgetting things or losing things and when all her belongings are stolen from her room, she is devastated, until Nick comes to her aid. He is a day trader and very wealthy, with a couple of holiday home sin Europe, as well as the home he was raised in, which his aunt and uncle rent out and which has provided him with an income since he was sixteen. Lulu moves into his posh London penthouse, right by the water, where he leaves her little notes every day, for her to read and keep with her during the day. He is very protective of her and seems to want to know her every move! Lulu helps her patients to deal with tragic memories from their pasts, using desensitisation techniques, which she thought were working really well with one of her patients, Paul, until he suddenly killed himself! She tries to speak to Nick about the tragic events in his past, when his whole family just disappeared one day, while he was out for the day with a school friend Andy and the friend’s mother Carol Jardine in Edinburgh. Duncan, Maggie and two month old baby Isla, his half-sister, were never seen again. Nick was sent off to boarding school and was only allowed to stay with Yvonne and Michael for two single weeks a year. Lulu knows he was affected by the loss of his mother and then his father, but he shuts her down every time she tries to mention it.
Nick is adamant his stepmother killed and then hid the bodies of Duncan and Isla, leaving him struggling to handle the safety of anyone else that he loves. He worries that she will be taken from him somehow and watches her every move and needs her to check-in every hour. After trouble at their apartment and the death of her client, Lulu is struggling a bit and needs a break. She persuades Nick to take two weeks off to confront his past, in his old childhood home, but days after they arrive in the somewhat spooky country home, someone close to the family disappears and all efforts to find them are fruitless. Lulu is shocked at some of Nick’s reactions to things, but believes he is starting to confront the issues of his past. She may well have to start questioning her blind belief in her husband, as secrets from the past are revealed by others, and they don’t necessarily bring a good light on Nick and his past. His present protectiveness and controlling behaviour, may well be covering something far more deadly and dangerous to all those around him. What is she to believe and who can she believe, when it seems she may not know her new husband as well as she thought! Maggie had a hard start and brings her experiences to her relationship with Nick and the problems be brings her, but her new husband Duncan has issues with her versions of events, until one event shows his true colours beyond belief and trigger what comes next. A shocking tale of secrets from the past and each person’s take on what happened in the past and how it affects what happens now. An intriguing story, with signs of evil and manipulation through the years, which leaves you wondering who to believe. I will certainly be looking out for some more books to read by this author! I received an ARC copy of this book from BookSprout and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.
In the modern part of the story, Nick is now married to a psychotherapist called Lulu, who he only met six months ago when she was on a tour of Europe. She was brought up and lived on a remote homestead in Australia and was always forgetting things or losing things and when all her belongings are stolen from her room, she is devastated, until Nick comes to her aid. He is a day trader and very wealthy, with a couple of holiday home sin Europe, as well as the home he was raised in, which his aunt and uncle rent out and which has provided him with an income since he was sixteen. Lulu moves into his posh London penthouse, right by the water, where he leaves her little notes every day, for her to read and keep with her during the day. He is very protective of her and seems to want to know her every move! Lulu helps her patients to deal with tragic memories from their pasts, using desensitisation techniques, which she thought were working really well with one of her patients, Paul, until he suddenly killed himself! She tries to speak to Nick about the tragic events in his past, when his whole family just disappeared one day, while he was out for the day with a school friend Andy and the friend’s mother Carol Jardine in Edinburgh. Duncan, Maggie and two month old baby Isla, his half-sister, were never seen again. Nick was sent off to boarding school and was only allowed to stay with Yvonne and Michael for two single weeks a year. Lulu knows he was affected by the loss of his mother and then his father, but he shuts her down every time she tries to mention it.
Nick is adamant his stepmother killed and then hid the bodies of Duncan and Isla, leaving him struggling to handle the safety of anyone else that he loves. He worries that she will be taken from him somehow and watches her every move and needs her to check-in every hour. After trouble at their apartment and the death of her client, Lulu is struggling a bit and needs a break. She persuades Nick to take two weeks off to confront his past, in his old childhood home, but days after they arrive in the somewhat spooky country home, someone close to the family disappears and all efforts to find them are fruitless. Lulu is shocked at some of Nick’s reactions to things, but believes he is starting to confront the issues of his past. She may well have to start questioning her blind belief in her husband, as secrets from the past are revealed by others, and they don’t necessarily bring a good light on Nick and his past. His present protectiveness and controlling behaviour, may well be covering something far more deadly and dangerous to all those around him. What is she to believe and who can she believe, when it seems she may not know her new husband as well as she thought! Maggie had a hard start and brings her experiences to her relationship with Nick and the problems be brings her, but her new husband Duncan has issues with her versions of events, until one event shows his true colours beyond belief and trigger what comes next. A shocking tale of secrets from the past and each person’s take on what happened in the past and how it affects what happens now. An intriguing story, with signs of evil and manipulation through the years, which leaves you wondering who to believe. I will certainly be looking out for some more books to read by this author! I received an ARC copy of this book from BookSprout and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.
March 28, 2023
1997 - After a day spent exploring Edinburgh with his best friend, 16 year old Nick comes home to an empty house. His father, stepmother and baby sister have disappeared without a trace.
2019 - Lulu has the perfect life - a successful psychotherapist and recently married to Nick, the most beautiful and perfect man. But Nick has a troubled past and as Lulu offers to help him face his childhood trauma, she uncovers a disturbing and frightening side to the man she loves.
Fast paced, entertaining thriller with a somewhat predictable story line. I was slightly disappointed that the ending did not live up to the 'shocking twist' as promised on the cover. Nonetheless, an entertaining read, perfect for a beachy or one sitting read.
Thank you to NetGalley and Inkubator Books for providing a digital coy in return for an honest, unbiased review.
2019 - Lulu has the perfect life - a successful psychotherapist and recently married to Nick, the most beautiful and perfect man. But Nick has a troubled past and as Lulu offers to help him face his childhood trauma, she uncovers a disturbing and frightening side to the man she loves.
Fast paced, entertaining thriller with a somewhat predictable story line. I was slightly disappointed that the ending did not live up to the 'shocking twist' as promised on the cover. Nonetheless, an entertaining read, perfect for a beachy or one sitting read.
Thank you to NetGalley and Inkubator Books for providing a digital coy in return for an honest, unbiased review.
September 1, 2022
I threw in the towel. There is more profanity than plot. I'm not waiting for the newborn's first word of F
The story is moving so slow. It does read without the profanity as a B-movie.
Thank you NetGalley for accepting my request to read and review The Stepson, I'm sorry it didn't work out.
The story is moving so slow. It does read without the profanity as a B-movie.
Thank you NetGalley for accepting my request to read and review The Stepson, I'm sorry it didn't work out.
February 27, 2023
A little bit of a slow burner and one of the main characters is painstakingly annoying but this one is overall pretty good once it grabs you. It was admittedly a little predictable but still a page turner after the first few chapters.
July 4, 2022
3.5 🌟
This book is a who do you believe....
I found it easy to read and get into I just felt rather annoyed with a certain character in the book and the naivety was slightly annoying. This is why I sadly gave it a 3.5 not a 4 stars
This book is a who do you believe....
I found it easy to read and get into I just felt rather annoyed with a certain character in the book and the naivety was slightly annoying. This is why I sadly gave it a 3.5 not a 4 stars
April 4, 2024
Absolutely brilliant! I enjoyed every part of this story, right up until the very last word!
July 10, 2022
A good read. But the words wee and aye were used too much, it was a bit annoying.
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