For me this was a book of two halves, the first of which was told from the pov of Emma who has worked her way up in work and is now in a very comfortable financial position but has never had a serious relationship until, at the age of 47, she falls for recently widowed Matthew. I struggled with this section to be honest, it just didn’t feel quite right to me the way someone so recently bereaved would move on and how quickly Emma let him into her life, not to mention all the strange goings on that started to happen. However at the half way mark we heard the story from a different protagonist and this is when my attention really got grabbed as I loved this new voice and the whole different perspective they offered. This was the point things stared getting twisty and you didn’t quite know what to expect next, I figured small bits out but there were plenty of surprises along the way. This was definitely worth sticking with as the second half is five stars all the way.

An enjoyable read, my first by Adele Parks despite having a few waiting. This domestic thriller features Emma as the main character, a successful, organised, self-sufficient, powerful business woman. The reader gets to know Emma best as most of the story is told from her point of view. I felt for her but can’t say I particularly liked her. Other characters include Matthew, a photographer and widower who Emma meets early on in the story, along with long term friends Heidi and Gina. As the story progresses, the tension starts to build, alongside strange happenings. I lost a bit of patience here with some of the silly decisions made, they didn’t feel quite genuine. Adele Parks has fleshed out the characters well, complete with their flaws and troubled backgrounds, explaining some of the behaviours exhibited. I found the story slow to start but particularly liked the twists and turns when they started. I felt the plot was quite predictable, similar to others I have read but the great ending made up for it.

For the most part I really enjoyed this story. I liked Emma as a character, and in turn I liked other characters as well, although it was hard at times to know which ones to trust. The story is full of twists and turns, surprises that I didn't see coming. At the end I wasn't quite sure who had done what, though, which didn't ruin my enjoyment of an otherwise really gripping and fast paced story.

Adele Parks will always be one of my favourite thriller authors! I have not been disappointed by a single one of her book that I've read so far. Well done! Thank you HarperInsider for sending me a copy! ☺️