Strap yourselves in folks … this is one of the most twisty roller-coaster rides I’ve been on in a long time! Lauren North takes us on a bumpy, convoluted journey in this thrilling page-turner.
Blurb:
On a sunny Friday afternoon, beloved teacher Mrs. Walker and her eight-year-old son wave goodbye to their friends in the school playground. But they never make it home…
It’s only been a week, but the bright little faces at the picture-perfect school I’ve stepped into have captured my heart. Their big doe eyes, their paint-covered fingers and clinging hugs. They’ve been through so much, with their favourite teacher and classmate still missing…
I’m doing all I can to help them adjust, but I can’t avoid the swirling rumours that say Cate Walker’s charismatic husband, Oliver – our headteacher – is involved in her disappearance. The thought makes me shudder. But the more I find out about Cate, the more I wonder if she was also hiding a terrible secret…
I’m determined to uncover the truth about what really happened. I have to protect these other innocent children from the same fate – it’s my duty as their teacher.
That is, until an anonymous note turns up threatening me if I don’t stop looking. Until my home is broken into while I sleep.
I know the longer I stay here, the more danger I’m in.
But whoever’s trying to scare me doesn’t know who I am – or why I’m really here.
Or just how far I’ll go to protect the people I love…
My Review:
Cate Walker and her son Archie have disappeared – they simply failed to arrive home on a Friday afternoon. It’s inconceivable to everyone in the close-knit, upmarket neighourhood of Leedham. Cate is a popular teacher at the nearby school, where her husband Oliver is the headmaster, and they’re a well-respected and much-loved family by friends and neighbours alike, firmly ensconced in the social circle there. Surely nobody would want to harm her and her little boy?
Lexi arrives as a substitute teacher to take Cate’s place until she returns – she’s going to return, isn’t she? But soon after arrival she starts receiving sinister notes and feels like she’s being followed. She doesn’t feel safe here. Could whatever happened to Cate and Archie, possibly happen to her too? She decides that she needs to start paying very close attention to the case, even though she doesn’t know the people who have disappeared.
A chilling, pacy read, with a dark, buzzing undertone right from the first page. I couldn’t put this one down. It’s told from different points of view: Lexi, Oliver, Jeanie (an extremely vigilant neighbour), and Gemma (another teacher at the school), as the story slowly starts to develop and the reader begins to see that all is not what it appeared to be at the start. What is it about small towns and all their many, many secrets?
The characters are well-developed, each with their own detailed back story, and the description of the area where the story takes place is vivid – I even started picturing the film version!
You won’t know who or what to believe, but you’ll just have to keep reading! Maybe not if you’re alone in the house at night though!
Thank you to Bookouture for another great blog tour!
About the author:
Lauren writes psychological suspense novels that delve into the darker side of relationships and families. She has a lifelong passion for writing, reading, and all things books. Lauren’s love of psychological suspense has grown since childhood and her dark imagination of always wondering what’s the worst thing that could happen in every situation.
Lauren studied psychology before moving to London where she lived and worked for many years. She now lives with her family in the Suffolk countryside. Readers can follow Lauren on Twitter @Lauren_C_North, Instagram @Lauren_C_North and Facebook @LaurenNorthAuthor
Purchase Link: https://geni.us/B0CLKZ9WTPsocial
Author social media:
Website: https://www.lauren-north.com
Facebook URL: https://www.facebook.com/LaurenNorthAuthor/?ref=bookmarks
Instagram URL: https://www.instagram.com/lauren_c_north
Twitter URL: https://twitter.com/Lauren_C_North
Newsletter sign-up: https://www.bookouture.com/lauren-north
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