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The Running Club
The rules of the running club are the same as they have always been: keep your breath steady, keep your mind sharp, record your laps! Only now there's a new one: don't get killed.
The wealthy community of Esperance is picture-perfect. Big houses, stunning views, beautiful people. A brand new running track for the local club to jog around in the evenings. From the outside, it looks like paradise.
But the women of the town know the truth: you can hide anything - from wrinkles to secrets from your past - if you have enough money.
You could even hide a murder.
THE RUNNING CLUB is the gripping, twisty page-turner from the author of THE TRIVIA NIGHT, full of secrets, lies and reveals you won't see coming.
The wealthy community of Esperance is picture-perfect. Big houses, stunning views, beautiful people. A brand new running track for the local club to jog around in the evenings. From the outside, it looks like paradise.
But the women of the town know the truth: you can hide anything - from wrinkles to secrets from your past - if you have enough money.
You could even hide a murder.
THE RUNNING CLUB is the gripping, twisty page-turner from the author of THE TRIVIA NIGHT, full of secrets, lies and reveals you won't see coming.
361 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 14, 2023
182 people are currently reading
2605 people want to read
About the author
Ali Lowe
5 books303 followersAli Lowe is the author of bestselling novels The Trivia Night, The Running Club, The School Run and The Private Island. Ali is a journalist by profession: she was Features Editor at OK! in London and has written widely for magazines, websites and newspapers. She has dual Australian and British citizenship and lives in Sydney with her family. Follow Ali on Instagram @ali_lowe_author
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 380 reviews
March 17, 2023
I absolutely loved Ali Lowe's debut novel, The Trivia Game, a wild and suprising domestic thriller that I couldn't put down. I was dying to see what she had in store for us next, and The Running Club did not disappoint. Another group of not so likeable rich people behaving very badly - what is not to love!
Welcome to Esperence, a beachside suburb for those with more money than sense. A beautiful view, the backdrop for murder. We know early one that one of them has been killed, but who and why is a mystery. These married couples are hiding secrets, not only from their partners, but from their so-called friends as well. It could be any of them dead, it could be any of them the killer.
Some of them are friends from school, some are newer acquaintances. But whatever their relationship status, it doesn't stop the cheating, the jealousy, the backstabbing and the lies. Trying to keep all the relationships straight is challenging, but so much fun.
I couldn't get enough of the antics of these narcissistic people and just had to see who would get theirs in the end.
A big thanks to Hachette Australia for my advanced copy to read and review. Another fantastic Aussie writer and thriller.
Welcome to Esperence, a beachside suburb for those with more money than sense. A beautiful view, the backdrop for murder. We know early one that one of them has been killed, but who and why is a mystery. These married couples are hiding secrets, not only from their partners, but from their so-called friends as well. It could be any of them dead, it could be any of them the killer.
Some of them are friends from school, some are newer acquaintances. But whatever their relationship status, it doesn't stop the cheating, the jealousy, the backstabbing and the lies. Trying to keep all the relationships straight is challenging, but so much fun.
I couldn't get enough of the antics of these narcissistic people and just had to see who would get theirs in the end.
A big thanks to Hachette Australia for my advanced copy to read and review. Another fantastic Aussie writer and thriller.
March 17, 2023
⭐️4.5 Stars⭐️
The Running Club is another hugely addictive and entertaining thriller from author Ali Lowe. This is a story dripping with lust, secrets and murder surrounding a group of wealthy residents in the beachside suburb of picture perfect Esperance, Western Australia.
There’s a community running track and a running club where women (and men) are not what they seem. There’s jealousy, drama, cheating, obsessions and glamour. Characters that are wickedly delicious and one of them is a murderer but who is it?
The story is very character driven and I couldn’t put the book down! I can’t wait for the next book by Ali Lowe, love her work!
A fast paced, twisty and seductive tale, you need to get your hands on a copy!
Publication Date 14 March 2023
Publisher Hachette Australia
Thank you so much to the fabulous team at Hachette Australia for a copy of the book.
The Running Club is another hugely addictive and entertaining thriller from author Ali Lowe. This is a story dripping with lust, secrets and murder surrounding a group of wealthy residents in the beachside suburb of picture perfect Esperance, Western Australia.
There’s a community running track and a running club where women (and men) are not what they seem. There’s jealousy, drama, cheating, obsessions and glamour. Characters that are wickedly delicious and one of them is a murderer but who is it?
The story is very character driven and I couldn’t put the book down! I can’t wait for the next book by Ali Lowe, love her work!
A fast paced, twisty and seductive tale, you need to get your hands on a copy!
Publication Date 14 March 2023
Publisher Hachette Australia
Thank you so much to the fabulous team at Hachette Australia for a copy of the book.
April 29, 2023
4.5★s
The Running Club is the second novel by Australian journalist and author, Ali Lowe. Esperance, the jewel at the tip of the peninsula at Sydney’s north, where “you can’t be ugly living in this town. It’s as if aesthetics are taken into account when you’re signing over your millions on a property contract”, there’s a running club. Four couples participate, some with more dedication that others. They use a purpose-built running track just off the Esperance Reserve, and many of them run five days a week at 7pm.
Several members originally hail from Shivers Beach, a forty-minute drive north, described as ”poverty clad and unkempt”, these four having managed to drag themselves out of there by “marrying up”. Some in the group are very much focussed on wealth and image; and some seem intent on sowing discord. But in early September, one of their number is found in the reserve, just near the track, quite dead.
Little more can be said without spoilers. The story is told from four different perspectives and over two time periods, and the reader may wonder at the reliability and honesty of the narrators. Lowe’s cleverly constructed plot, which doesn’t reveal the identity of the victim until halfway through, will keep the reader guessing as each little twist and wrinkle, each lie and secret, shows that there are several candidates both for the victim and the killer.
Lowe evokes her setting and era with consummate ease. Her characters are the sort of people we all encounter in our daily lives, facing challenges and dilemmas both topical and realistic: infidelity, unwise investment, ageing partners, difficult teens; as well some that only apply to certain societal strata, like trying to keep up with snobbish friends.
In a plot where no one is quite who they first seem to be, Lowe manages to include: a flasher, a severe peanut allergy, charity shop donations, a forgotten bitcoin password and embezzlement from a women’s refuge charity. Excellent contemporary Aussie crime drama.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton.
The Running Club is the second novel by Australian journalist and author, Ali Lowe. Esperance, the jewel at the tip of the peninsula at Sydney’s north, where “you can’t be ugly living in this town. It’s as if aesthetics are taken into account when you’re signing over your millions on a property contract”, there’s a running club. Four couples participate, some with more dedication that others. They use a purpose-built running track just off the Esperance Reserve, and many of them run five days a week at 7pm.
Several members originally hail from Shivers Beach, a forty-minute drive north, described as ”poverty clad and unkempt”, these four having managed to drag themselves out of there by “marrying up”. Some in the group are very much focussed on wealth and image; and some seem intent on sowing discord. But in early September, one of their number is found in the reserve, just near the track, quite dead.
Little more can be said without spoilers. The story is told from four different perspectives and over two time periods, and the reader may wonder at the reliability and honesty of the narrators. Lowe’s cleverly constructed plot, which doesn’t reveal the identity of the victim until halfway through, will keep the reader guessing as each little twist and wrinkle, each lie and secret, shows that there are several candidates both for the victim and the killer.
Lowe evokes her setting and era with consummate ease. Her characters are the sort of people we all encounter in our daily lives, facing challenges and dilemmas both topical and realistic: infidelity, unwise investment, ageing partners, difficult teens; as well some that only apply to certain societal strata, like trying to keep up with snobbish friends.
In a plot where no one is quite who they first seem to be, Lowe manages to include: a flasher, a severe peanut allergy, charity shop donations, a forgotten bitcoin password and embezzlement from a women’s refuge charity. Excellent contemporary Aussie crime drama.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton.
January 26, 2023
Rating: 2.3/5
A running club in the wealthy and glamorous district of Esperance is the setting for this murder mystery from Ali Lowe. The leading characters are predominantly well-to-do females and I couldn't help but get a sense of "Desperate Housewives" meets "The Real Housewives of Cheshire" as I was reading this.
The author has clearly set out to make this a character driven novel, but I can't honestly say that I found the characterisation to be strong enough nor sufficiently convincing. None of the personalities are particularly likeable - not that it matters, as I have enjoyed many a good book where the characters have been all too easy to despise - but they are also just a little two-dimensional. The narrative is told from the perspectives of the various key protagonists, but in spite of the chapters being clearly signposted, I still found myself having to check back to see which one was providing the account at any given time, as I found myself struggling to differentiate between them.
There is ample glitz and gloss in "The Running Club", but not a great deal of substance once you scratch the surface. I found it too protracted and the pace only really picks up significantly in the final quarter. There are twists and turns, but I found them a touch too convenient to be truly believable. On the whole, this is an okay read, but there are far better examples of the genre out there.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for supplying an ARC in return for an honest review.
A running club in the wealthy and glamorous district of Esperance is the setting for this murder mystery from Ali Lowe. The leading characters are predominantly well-to-do females and I couldn't help but get a sense of "Desperate Housewives" meets "The Real Housewives of Cheshire" as I was reading this.
The author has clearly set out to make this a character driven novel, but I can't honestly say that I found the characterisation to be strong enough nor sufficiently convincing. None of the personalities are particularly likeable - not that it matters, as I have enjoyed many a good book where the characters have been all too easy to despise - but they are also just a little two-dimensional. The narrative is told from the perspectives of the various key protagonists, but in spite of the chapters being clearly signposted, I still found myself having to check back to see which one was providing the account at any given time, as I found myself struggling to differentiate between them.
There is ample glitz and gloss in "The Running Club", but not a great deal of substance once you scratch the surface. I found it too protracted and the pace only really picks up significantly in the final quarter. There are twists and turns, but I found them a touch too convenient to be truly believable. On the whole, this is an okay read, but there are far better examples of the genre out there.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for supplying an ARC in return for an honest review.
March 24, 2023
I loved. Ali Lowe’s Trivia Night and wow I loved this one as well, Ali has a way with words that brings out the best and worst in her characters, this one is twisty, toxic at times and compelling as we get to know the members of the running club from the wealthy beach side town of Esperance, come along for the ride and see if you can guess what is happening.
Carole, Freya, Lotte and Shelby all live in Esperance and all know each other from their school days, but only Carole grew up in Esperance the others came from Shivers Beach the poorer side of the peninsular, but they are all in Esperance now and part of a running club, they are friends, or are they and Lotte and Shelby are twins, but I am not sure that I would like them to be my friends at times.
They all have secrets that could blow the lid off the small community and when one of them is murdered, the fingers start pointing to the culprit and why it has happened there seems to be a lot of people who had their reasons and as I turn the pages and read my mind goes in so many different directions, the twist at the end I didn’t see coming.
This book was so hard to put down it is compelling and gripping as I get to learn all of their personalities and how they meld together, how wealth and power can change people, these woman could be a force as they push and pull each other. I do highly recommend this one to any reader who loves a story that twists the characters relationships and keeps you up all night to the very ending.
My thanks to Hachette AU for my copy to read and review
Carole, Freya, Lotte and Shelby all live in Esperance and all know each other from their school days, but only Carole grew up in Esperance the others came from Shivers Beach the poorer side of the peninsular, but they are all in Esperance now and part of a running club, they are friends, or are they and Lotte and Shelby are twins, but I am not sure that I would like them to be my friends at times.
They all have secrets that could blow the lid off the small community and when one of them is murdered, the fingers start pointing to the culprit and why it has happened there seems to be a lot of people who had their reasons and as I turn the pages and read my mind goes in so many different directions, the twist at the end I didn’t see coming.
This book was so hard to put down it is compelling and gripping as I get to learn all of their personalities and how they meld together, how wealth and power can change people, these woman could be a force as they push and pull each other. I do highly recommend this one to any reader who loves a story that twists the characters relationships and keeps you up all night to the very ending.
My thanks to Hachette AU for my copy to read and review
October 29, 2023
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The Running Club by Ali Lowe. (2023).
The rules of the running club are the same as they always have been: keep your breath steady, mind sharp, record your laps! Only now there's a new one: don't get killed. The wealthy community of Esperance is picture-perfect: big houses, stunning views, beautiful people. A brand-new running track. From the outside it looks like paradise. But the women of the town know the truth: you can hide anything - from wrinkles to secrets from your past - if you have enough money. You could even hide a murder...
It's been awhile since I've read a book where pretty much every character becomes unlikable by the end! Luckily the fact that everyone in this book is quite selfish and narcissistic doesn't deter from how entertaining the story is. The story is told from the perspectives of the women in the running club: Carole, Freya, Lottie and Shelby who are all in their early 40s. The latter three all grew up in the nearby 'dodgy' area, with Shelby having a past with Carole's husband who also grew up there - awkward, and an ongoing tension between the women. The murder victim isn't revealed until halfway through so it's a tension filled read as you first wonder who dies, and then in the second half you try to work out who killed this person.
Overall: a twisty novel full of secrets, this is an entertaining mystery read.
*www.facebook.com/onewomansbbr
The Running Club by Ali Lowe. (2023).
The rules of the running club are the same as they always have been: keep your breath steady, mind sharp, record your laps! Only now there's a new one: don't get killed. The wealthy community of Esperance is picture-perfect: big houses, stunning views, beautiful people. A brand-new running track. From the outside it looks like paradise. But the women of the town know the truth: you can hide anything - from wrinkles to secrets from your past - if you have enough money. You could even hide a murder...
It's been awhile since I've read a book where pretty much every character becomes unlikable by the end! Luckily the fact that everyone in this book is quite selfish and narcissistic doesn't deter from how entertaining the story is. The story is told from the perspectives of the women in the running club: Carole, Freya, Lottie and Shelby who are all in their early 40s. The latter three all grew up in the nearby 'dodgy' area, with Shelby having a past with Carole's husband who also grew up there - awkward, and an ongoing tension between the women. The murder victim isn't revealed until halfway through so it's a tension filled read as you first wonder who dies, and then in the second half you try to work out who killed this person.
Overall: a twisty novel full of secrets, this is an entertaining mystery read.
April 11, 2023
*https://mrsbbookreviews.wordpress.com
Following on from the success of her debut novel The Trivia Night, Sydney based author Ali Lowe has penned another exciting domestic thriller. The Running Club is a tale of wealth, excess, obsession, jealousy, greed and murder. This tantalizing page turner kept me up in the small hours of the morning as I raced to finish this puzzling delight.
Meet the Esperance running club, this band of women are united by their fitness goals, but this competitive bunch harbour a collection of secrets and lies. Although the running club has some carefully laid out rules, things take a drastic turn when one of the key members of this club is found murdered. Soon the flawless and faultless community of Esperance is in a frenzy over the discovery of a body of a key member of the club. This idyllic town is rocked by the incident and soon fingers are pointed at almost every member of the running club. In a place where money buys you out of trouble and you can hide the past at all costs, will the truth continue to stay buried?
Ali Lowe made quite a splash on the Australian contemporary fiction and domestic noir scene with her 2022 release The Trivia Night, which I personally I enjoyed very much. I have been eagerly awaiting the chance to settle into Lowe’s second novel and I am really pleased that I allocated this one some time when I returned home from a recent long-haul flight. Battling jet lag, The Running Club my night time companion and I was happy to sacrifice the sleep time to read this one. I ended up ripping through this addictive tale in just a few hours, which indicates the sheer pull of Ali Lowe’s writing.
Opening with a set of key character running club profiles, that I definitely turned to a number of times as I made my way through Ali Lowe’s new novel, I was soon completely captivated by this fast tale. Lowe immerses us in the wealthy lives of her cast and we receive a pitch perfect viewpoint of the local community. I honestly felt like an extra member of the running club! The characters that populate this tale are largely unlikeable and dripping in excess, but it is incredibly hard not to get drawn into their wealthy lives. Lowe devotes plenty of page time to allow us to connect to each character via her shifting viewpoint narrative format. Although my life is far removed from this fanciful bunch, I still managed to get sucked into their vortex. Lowe dishes up reveal after reveal and she ensures that suspicion is cast on everyone that appears in this engrossing tale. The resentment, jealousies, obsessions, rivalries, betrayals, guilt, grudges and past histories of the members of The Running Club are utterly intoxicating. The pace is set to a super quick beat, resulting in the pages taking on a life of their own, this was such a spellbinding read!
I couldn’t predict the final turn of events and who was the perpetrator of the murder at all. Lowe serves up plenty of thrilling advances and last-minute plot flips, keeping us fully entertained until the final paragraph. A story that will make you question what really goes on behind the scenes of a local sporting club, The Running Club is a sterling domestic thriller from an author on the rise, Ali Lowe.
*Thanks is extended to Hachette Australia for providing a free copy of this book for review purposes.
Following on from the success of her debut novel The Trivia Night, Sydney based author Ali Lowe has penned another exciting domestic thriller. The Running Club is a tale of wealth, excess, obsession, jealousy, greed and murder. This tantalizing page turner kept me up in the small hours of the morning as I raced to finish this puzzling delight.
Meet the Esperance running club, this band of women are united by their fitness goals, but this competitive bunch harbour a collection of secrets and lies. Although the running club has some carefully laid out rules, things take a drastic turn when one of the key members of this club is found murdered. Soon the flawless and faultless community of Esperance is in a frenzy over the discovery of a body of a key member of the club. This idyllic town is rocked by the incident and soon fingers are pointed at almost every member of the running club. In a place where money buys you out of trouble and you can hide the past at all costs, will the truth continue to stay buried?
Ali Lowe made quite a splash on the Australian contemporary fiction and domestic noir scene with her 2022 release The Trivia Night, which I personally I enjoyed very much. I have been eagerly awaiting the chance to settle into Lowe’s second novel and I am really pleased that I allocated this one some time when I returned home from a recent long-haul flight. Battling jet lag, The Running Club my night time companion and I was happy to sacrifice the sleep time to read this one. I ended up ripping through this addictive tale in just a few hours, which indicates the sheer pull of Ali Lowe’s writing.
Opening with a set of key character running club profiles, that I definitely turned to a number of times as I made my way through Ali Lowe’s new novel, I was soon completely captivated by this fast tale. Lowe immerses us in the wealthy lives of her cast and we receive a pitch perfect viewpoint of the local community. I honestly felt like an extra member of the running club! The characters that populate this tale are largely unlikeable and dripping in excess, but it is incredibly hard not to get drawn into their wealthy lives. Lowe devotes plenty of page time to allow us to connect to each character via her shifting viewpoint narrative format. Although my life is far removed from this fanciful bunch, I still managed to get sucked into their vortex. Lowe dishes up reveal after reveal and she ensures that suspicion is cast on everyone that appears in this engrossing tale. The resentment, jealousies, obsessions, rivalries, betrayals, guilt, grudges and past histories of the members of The Running Club are utterly intoxicating. The pace is set to a super quick beat, resulting in the pages taking on a life of their own, this was such a spellbinding read!
I couldn’t predict the final turn of events and who was the perpetrator of the murder at all. Lowe serves up plenty of thrilling advances and last-minute plot flips, keeping us fully entertained until the final paragraph. A story that will make you question what really goes on behind the scenes of a local sporting club, The Running Club is a sterling domestic thriller from an author on the rise, Ali Lowe.
*Thanks is extended to Hachette Australia for providing a free copy of this book for review purposes.
August 14, 2023
This book seemed to be popping up on all my social media platforms and after reading some great reviews I decided I just had to read it. I’m pleased to say this was far better than I imagine it would be. This was a fast-paced book that had me intrigued and the more I read the more I just wanted to know how this was going to end.
The Running Club by Aussie author Ali Lowe is a well-written book that grabbed my attention from the start and I found it difficult to put down. If you love a fast-paced book with good twists and turns then make sure you add this book to the top of your list.
The Running Club by Aussie author Ali Lowe is a well-written book that grabbed my attention from the start and I found it difficult to put down. If you love a fast-paced book with good twists and turns then make sure you add this book to the top of your list.
April 10, 2023
Very basic writing and plot. Unlikable characters. It was relatively easy reading which was the only reason I finished it.
March 24, 2023
This book isn't very much about running - but it's very much about a bunch of privileged housewives and their husbands. Not all of them were born with a silver spoon in their mouths. We have jealousy, cheating and money angst - and then Shelby turns up dead. She wasn't exactly popular, so not very surprising - but who of all those with motive to kill her did it? I thoroughly enjoyed this.
July 6, 2025
This contemporary domestic noir is set in the fictional and affluent suburb of Esperance north of Sydney. Carole, Freya, and twins Lottie and Shelby are part of a running club in Esperance. The group all know each other from their high-school days, but only Carole grew up in Esperance, the others came from Shivers Beach, the poorer side of the peninsula. The story is told in chapters alternating between each of their perspectives.
Esperance is a town of botox, designer homes and clothing, and many buried secrets. When one of the members of the running club is found dead the secrets begin to filter to the top. This is one of those murders when everyone seems to have a motive, whether it is jealousy, revenge or money.
This was an engaging story. The only two things that bothered me was that Australia already has a town called Esperance, without needing a fictional one, and the people there are far more down to earth.
Esperance, from Perth is OK
My other concern is that there seem to be several novels come out in recent years that create a portrayal of Australian women as vacuous, self-absorbed and shallow. While I’m sure there may be a small percentage of these in any affluent country, I would like to think that most of the women of my acquaintance have far more depth and strength of character.
Esperance is a town of botox, designer homes and clothing, and many buried secrets. When one of the members of the running club is found dead the secrets begin to filter to the top. This is one of those murders when everyone seems to have a motive, whether it is jealousy, revenge or money.
This was an engaging story. The only two things that bothered me was that Australia already has a town called Esperance, without needing a fictional one, and the people there are far more down to earth.
Esperance, from Perth is OK
My other concern is that there seem to be several novels come out in recent years that create a portrayal of Australian women as vacuous, self-absorbed and shallow. While I’m sure there may be a small percentage of these in any affluent country, I would like to think that most of the women of my acquaintance have far more depth and strength of character.
February 6, 2023
Thank you Hachette for sending us a copy to read and review.
Ali Lowe’s upcoming sophomore release The Running Club will wow, hypnotise and astound the reader and will be a success for many.
A clever, intelligent and stylish tale with secrets, lies, betrayal, deception, flirtation and the twists will make you gasp.
Esperance is a picture perfect community.
Rich neighbours, perfect homes, beautiful landscapes, stunning views and gorgeous suburbanites.
A new running track for some who like to run at night has been added.
Behind closed doors there’s more going on, that from the outside no one can see.
A group of wives and friends know the truth.
You can hide anything if you have money.
And I mean……anything including murder.
The prologue sets the scene for the reader, giving them a taste of what’s to expect and this for me was a winning opening chapter.
I loved this book so much.
It’s compulsive, addictive and I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough.
It’s character driven with a cast of narcissistic friends who you can’t help but secretly love, some having a distinct agenda with many devious tendencies to lap up.
Ali really seduces her audience with her plot and nails the domestic noir slash thriller genre.
So take a voyeuristic journey into the lives of the people in a wealthy suburb.
I found the book effortless and so entertaining.
Bring on her next book, I’m ready.
Ali Lowe’s upcoming sophomore release The Running Club will wow, hypnotise and astound the reader and will be a success for many.
A clever, intelligent and stylish tale with secrets, lies, betrayal, deception, flirtation and the twists will make you gasp.
Esperance is a picture perfect community.
Rich neighbours, perfect homes, beautiful landscapes, stunning views and gorgeous suburbanites.
A new running track for some who like to run at night has been added.
Behind closed doors there’s more going on, that from the outside no one can see.
A group of wives and friends know the truth.
You can hide anything if you have money.
And I mean……anything including murder.
The prologue sets the scene for the reader, giving them a taste of what’s to expect and this for me was a winning opening chapter.
I loved this book so much.
It’s compulsive, addictive and I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough.
It’s character driven with a cast of narcissistic friends who you can’t help but secretly love, some having a distinct agenda with many devious tendencies to lap up.
Ali really seduces her audience with her plot and nails the domestic noir slash thriller genre.
So take a voyeuristic journey into the lives of the people in a wealthy suburb.
I found the book effortless and so entertaining.
Bring on her next book, I’m ready.
January 30, 2023
Don’t be put off by the title if you are not into reading about running, the book isen’t like that….it is loosely based around a community running club but that’s it on the running score
Esperance is a mega wealthy Australian suburb when the folk thing big, live big and kill big when things and people get in their way
A delicious array of narcissistic characters await and their back and current stories and how they have all ended up in this tragic self made misery of lies, secrets, lust and deception, I couldn’t stand most of them which meant of course they were just wonderful to read about and love to hate
There are a good few storylines in the book that all knit together and it does take a while to get to remember who is who and who is with you ( and who is with who who shouldn’t be 😊 ) and it all makes a pretty good community, neighbourhood thriller, the ending a lot deeper than maybe the beginning would have you believe it would be
Enjoyable
8/10
4 Stars
Esperance is a mega wealthy Australian suburb when the folk thing big, live big and kill big when things and people get in their way
A delicious array of narcissistic characters await and their back and current stories and how they have all ended up in this tragic self made misery of lies, secrets, lust and deception, I couldn’t stand most of them which meant of course they were just wonderful to read about and love to hate
There are a good few storylines in the book that all knit together and it does take a while to get to remember who is who and who is with you ( and who is with who who shouldn’t be 😊 ) and it all makes a pretty good community, neighbourhood thriller, the ending a lot deeper than maybe the beginning would have you believe it would be
Enjoyable
8/10
4 Stars
March 16, 2023
Huge thanks to Hachette Australia for sending me a copy of this book to review.
Revenge is the key theme in this book. It is told by multiple POV's , Carole, Lottie , Shelby and Freya who all went to high school together. Their lives are still connected in the present day timeline in more ways than one. I loved the dialogue between the characters . Ali's tongue in cheek sense of humour is spot on. I liked how you used one of our local beaches for inspiration of the murder setting.
Revenge is the key theme in this book. It is told by multiple POV's , Carole, Lottie , Shelby and Freya who all went to high school together. Their lives are still connected in the present day timeline in more ways than one. I loved the dialogue between the characters . Ali's tongue in cheek sense of humour is spot on. I liked how you used one of our local beaches for inspiration of the murder setting.
March 11, 2023
The rules of the running club have always been the same as they have always been - keep your breath steady, keep your mind sharp, record your laps! Only now there's a new one - don't get killed!
The wealthy community of Esperance is picture-perfect. Big houses, stunning views, beautiful people. A brand-new running track for the local club to jog around in the evenings. From the outside it looks like paradise, but the women of the town know the truth: you can't hide anything - from your wrinkles to the secrets from your past - if you have enough money. You could even hide a murder.
Shelby was not always a nice person, so the list of suspects could be lengthy. We get flashbacks and backstory to some of the characters pasts as teenagers. We learn of the resentments, betrayals, and secrets these well-to-do women had for each other. I was hooked after reading the prologue. I found that I liked some of the characters more than I did others. Just when I thought I had it all worked out, along came a twist and off in another direction I would go. The first part of the book is mysteriously written, the second part is where it becomes more thrilling. The pace is fast and I liked the authors style in writing this book. It's told from several points of view. So who did murder Shelby? Get a copy of this book to find out.
I would like to thank #NetGalley ##HodderSoughton and the author #AliLowe for my ARC of #TheRunningClub in exchange for an honest review.
The wealthy community of Esperance is picture-perfect. Big houses, stunning views, beautiful people. A brand-new running track for the local club to jog around in the evenings. From the outside it looks like paradise, but the women of the town know the truth: you can't hide anything - from your wrinkles to the secrets from your past - if you have enough money. You could even hide a murder.
Shelby was not always a nice person, so the list of suspects could be lengthy. We get flashbacks and backstory to some of the characters pasts as teenagers. We learn of the resentments, betrayals, and secrets these well-to-do women had for each other. I was hooked after reading the prologue. I found that I liked some of the characters more than I did others. Just when I thought I had it all worked out, along came a twist and off in another direction I would go. The first part of the book is mysteriously written, the second part is where it becomes more thrilling. The pace is fast and I liked the authors style in writing this book. It's told from several points of view. So who did murder Shelby? Get a copy of this book to find out.
I would like to thank #NetGalley ##HodderSoughton and the author #AliLowe for my ARC of #TheRunningClub in exchange for an honest review.
May 23, 2023
Wow. I’m still thinking about that ending long after reading.
After the first five chapters we had the buddy read group place their bets on who was dead and who the killer was.
None of us got it.
This was fast paced and very well written.
We can all picture a Carole in our life even if we didn’t grow up in a fictional “Esperance”
This was the best contemporary fiction I’ve read in ages.
A must read!
After the first five chapters we had the buddy read group place their bets on who was dead and who the killer was.
None of us got it.
This was fast paced and very well written.
We can all picture a Carole in our life even if we didn’t grow up in a fictional “Esperance”
This was the best contemporary fiction I’ve read in ages.
A must read!
December 30, 2024
Setting: 'Esperance', NSW, Australia; modern day.
On the coast north of Sydney lies the upmarket enclave of Esperance, with its multi-million dollar mansions and its uncompromisingly snobby residents. Carole has lived in the area all her life but is now married to Max, who hails from the 'rougher' township to the north but always swore that he would one day live in Esperance. Now he does so and works for his father-in-law's hedge fund business whilst his wife, Carole, busies herself with the community and the running club she has set up.
The fellow members of the running club are Freya and twins Shelby and Lottie, all of whom came from the same place as Max - indeed, they all went to school together - but are now happily married (or at least married!) and living in the community they all aspired to be part of throughout their childhoods. But all is not rosy in the couples' relationships - which leads to one of the women being murdered one stormy night and repercussions affecting everyone as secrets from the past and more recent times are revealed....
This was an excellent read and one that I found it hard to put down - indeed, I read the 411 pages in just over a day. Great twists and turns in the tale as the action jumps back from present day to 'before', as narrated by various of the characters. Several unexpected reveals made this far from a run-of-the-mill tale and I am glad that I have another book by this author for future reading, having passed this one on to my wife and told her she has to read it! - 9/10.
On the coast north of Sydney lies the upmarket enclave of Esperance, with its multi-million dollar mansions and its uncompromisingly snobby residents. Carole has lived in the area all her life but is now married to Max, who hails from the 'rougher' township to the north but always swore that he would one day live in Esperance. Now he does so and works for his father-in-law's hedge fund business whilst his wife, Carole, busies herself with the community and the running club she has set up.
The fellow members of the running club are Freya and twins Shelby and Lottie, all of whom came from the same place as Max - indeed, they all went to school together - but are now happily married (or at least married!) and living in the community they all aspired to be part of throughout their childhoods. But all is not rosy in the couples' relationships - which leads to one of the women being murdered one stormy night and repercussions affecting everyone as secrets from the past and more recent times are revealed....
This was an excellent read and one that I found it hard to put down - indeed, I read the 411 pages in just over a day. Great twists and turns in the tale as the action jumps back from present day to 'before', as narrated by various of the characters. Several unexpected reveals made this far from a run-of-the-mill tale and I am glad that I have another book by this author for future reading, having passed this one on to my wife and told her she has to read it! - 9/10.
May 9, 2023
This was another enjoyable one.
There were secrets, lies and plenty of suspense in this story. A murderer is loose in this small community of Esperance and the author weaves a twisted tale that keeps you turning the pages. While this book did include running, it was more focused on the characters, so don't be deterred if you are not an avid runner. Another enjoyable novel and I look forward to more by this author.
There were secrets, lies and plenty of suspense in this story. A murderer is loose in this small community of Esperance and the author weaves a twisted tale that keeps you turning the pages. While this book did include running, it was more focused on the characters, so don't be deterred if you are not an avid runner. Another enjoyable novel and I look forward to more by this author.
November 26, 2023
An absolutely compelling domestic murder mystery. Well-paced, a bit twisty, but not too complicated. It kept me sane and entertained over a very long night. No complaints.
August 27, 2023
Welcome to Esperance, the idyllic and affluent beachside town on the coast of Australia. Where the wealthy live out their perfectly maintained lives and the lesser off look enviously from the outskirts.
Meet Carole, Shelby, Lottie and Freya. Four Esperance residents who meet regularly on the local running track. These women know just how important it is to look the part. But appearances can be deceptive. And when someone is killed their facades start to crumble…
This was a brilliantly fast paced, exciting and fun read. While I couldn’t say I liked all the residents (although some of them really did grow on me), I was instantly intrigued by them all. I loved the flashbacks to the characters’ pasts; how some of them had progressed from the downtrodden Shivers Beach to the upmarket and prosperous Esperance. The contrasts were enormous and I could see why they couldn’t return.
The dialogue was so sharp and witty. I genuinely laughed out loud at the reference to Liz Hurley’s jeans and there were many more moments which tickled me.
Ali Lowe has really excelled herself here. She’s written a book full of humour and tension, with hugely entertaining and interesting characters and a fantastic and clever plot. This is my first book by her but it definitely won’t be my last. As far as I’m concerned, she just won the race. 🥇
Meet Carole, Shelby, Lottie and Freya. Four Esperance residents who meet regularly on the local running track. These women know just how important it is to look the part. But appearances can be deceptive. And when someone is killed their facades start to crumble…
This was a brilliantly fast paced, exciting and fun read. While I couldn’t say I liked all the residents (although some of them really did grow on me), I was instantly intrigued by them all. I loved the flashbacks to the characters’ pasts; how some of them had progressed from the downtrodden Shivers Beach to the upmarket and prosperous Esperance. The contrasts were enormous and I could see why they couldn’t return.
The dialogue was so sharp and witty. I genuinely laughed out loud at the reference to Liz Hurley’s jeans and there were many more moments which tickled me.
Ali Lowe has really excelled herself here. She’s written a book full of humour and tension, with hugely entertaining and interesting characters and a fantastic and clever plot. This is my first book by her but it definitely won’t be my last. As far as I’m concerned, she just won the race. 🥇
March 19, 2023
The Running Club is a domestic thriller that follows a group of wealthy women who run together. But each woman has their own secrets. I won't give too much away except to say someone gets murdered. And someone has done the deed whilst trying to cover it up.
This book had all the gossipy vibes that reminded me of Desperate Housewives - one of my favourite shows!. I loved the multiple POV's once I got a hang of which character was which! Each woman had their own interesting storyline and I was all for the drama. This was my first book of Ali Lowe's and I am now super keen to read The Trivia Night.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
This book had all the gossipy vibes that reminded me of Desperate Housewives - one of my favourite shows!. I loved the multiple POV's once I got a hang of which character was which! Each woman had their own interesting storyline and I was all for the drama. This was my first book of Ali Lowe's and I am now super keen to read The Trivia Night.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
February 27, 2024
2.75 ⭐️
The characters in this book were kind of insufferable. For a thriller, the book was quite a slow pace. Also, the book being called “the running club” is quite deceiving, it really does not have much to do with a running club and doesn’t really add much to the the story/plot line.
The characters in this book were kind of insufferable. For a thriller, the book was quite a slow pace. Also, the book being called “the running club” is quite deceiving, it really does not have much to do with a running club and doesn’t really add much to the the story/plot line.
January 13, 2023
Look out Liane Moriarty! Ali Lowe has delivered a fast paced thriller with plenty of twists and turns that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Out March 2023
December 27, 2022
Thrillers and running are two of my favourite things!
November 14, 2022
Admittedly my name is in the acknowledgements of this book but God, I loved it. Fast-paced, witty, glamorous and packed with drama and tension, I stayed up all night to read it.
The women of The Running Club are not all they seem. Be prepared to meet Carole, whose obsession with appearances blinds her to what is really going on in life; twins Lottie and Shelby who only have their umbilical cord in common; Freya and Marcella who can’t shake resentments of the past. Is it enough for one of them to kill?
A cracking second novel.
The women of The Running Club are not all they seem. Be prepared to meet Carole, whose obsession with appearances blinds her to what is really going on in life; twins Lottie and Shelby who only have their umbilical cord in common; Freya and Marcella who can’t shake resentments of the past. Is it enough for one of them to kill?
A cracking second novel.
February 15, 2023
Makes Wisteria Lane look like kindergarten. All the wealth and beautiful people in this novel were just so much fun. I could not turn the pages fast enough. All the twists and mum politics! All the jealousies and insecurities! So much fun I said so much fun I repeat!!!!
April 7, 2023
Recently, I joined a great group of bookstagrammers for another Tandem readalong. I was excited to get my hands on this one after loving Ali’s debut novel, The Trivia Night, last year.
The Running Club follows a group of closely intertwined wealthy couples living in picturesque beach community who have a shared history. Everyone is hiding their own secrets, including a murder.
I liked the multi POV and the dual timeline. It gave a deeper insight into the web of characters, leaving you guessing as to who was the victim and who was the murderer. My prediction at each changed as the story progressed and I had more questions for each person’s motive. The story is fast paced and full of twists, even after the reveal of victim and murdered, the author throws another unexpected turn at you, ending the book on a salacious POV. I tried to stick to the reading schedule but this one sucked me right in and the concept of daily pages completely went out the window.
Thank you to Tandem Collective Global and Hachette for my copy
The Running Club follows a group of closely intertwined wealthy couples living in picturesque beach community who have a shared history. Everyone is hiding their own secrets, including a murder.
I liked the multi POV and the dual timeline. It gave a deeper insight into the web of characters, leaving you guessing as to who was the victim and who was the murderer. My prediction at each changed as the story progressed and I had more questions for each person’s motive. The story is fast paced and full of twists, even after the reveal of victim and murdered, the author throws another unexpected turn at you, ending the book on a salacious POV. I tried to stick to the reading schedule but this one sucked me right in and the concept of daily pages completely went out the window.
Thank you to Tandem Collective Global and Hachette for my copy
July 12, 2025
Very good 4.5 ⭐️
February 22, 2023
Ali Lowe’s second book The Running Club is a cross between Gone Girls and Big Little Lies. It made it impossible to put down and I read it in 2 days. It’s not just a running club to survive, thrive and look great! It’s about where you live, clothes you wear and which area did you grow up in. Each chapter is told though a female character which you’ll grow to love, hate or suspect as it dives into their lives past and present. Well done Ali the ending took my breath away….. Thanks to @betterreading for my ARC copy and to hodderbooks.
August 19, 2023
The Running Club is an engrossing character-driven intrigue-thriller, set in a fictional affluent town on the coast just north of Sydney.
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