Book picks similar to
Her Last Secret by P.L. Kane
netgalley
thriller
mystery
fiction
Watch Over Me
Jane Renshaw - 2020
But some dreams turn into nightmares.Flora and Neil are happily married, but they can’t have children so decide to adopt. And when Flora meets little Beckie it’s love at first sight. Deep in her heart, she knows they’re meant for each other, destined to be mother and daughter. When Flora officially becomes Beckie’s mum, it’s like a part of her that’s always been missing is finally in place. She is complete, every day filled with purpose and joy. There’s only one problem. Beckie was taken from her birth family, the Johnsons, because they have a history of violence and criminal behaviour and so are judged to be unfit to care for a child. But the Johnsons don’t agree. As far as they’re concerned, Flora has stolen their little girl and they are determined to get her back. They’re very smart, utterly ruthless – and they have a plan. One that will turn Flora’s life into a living hell and push her to the very edge of insanity. This stunning psychological thriller is perfect for fans of K.L. Slater, Mark Edwards, and Teresa Driscoll.What readers are saying about Watch Over Me:“Fantastic, absolutely brilliant! I loved all the twists and turns…every time I thought I had worked it out another twist appeared.” -NetGalley Reviewer“I was hooked on this story…from the moment I picked my Kindle up until the moment I put the Kindle back down, I was completely under this book’s spell. ” -Gingerbookgeek“I can promise you Watch Over Me will be making my top books of 2020 list in December! There’s some great twists in here as well. The ending was perfect. This is a strong 5/5 and I’m very happy I got to read Watch Over Me. I can highly recommend this book.” -NetGalley Reviewer“There were many times I forgot to breathe, I was that engaged and absolutely loved the ending. Great psychological thriller…I highly recommend!” -Goodreads Reviewer“There are lots of twists and secrets revealed with the ending being incredibly gripping and surprising. I had many ideas about what was going on but was proven wrong, which I always enjoy.” -Over The Rainbow Book Blog“The shocks were plentiful, and that made reading enthralling.” -Shalani’s Books and Reviews“The book was very exciting. Right from the word go I was hooked. I couldn’t put it down. It was fast paced. Fantastic twists and plot. A real winner.” -NetGalley Reviewer“An excellent page turning read and had me hooked right to the end.” -NetGalley Reviewer“Jane Renshaw plays mind games with you in this tension-filled psychological thriller that will leave you gasping in shock.” -Book Review Hub
The Lost Brother
Susanna Beard - 2021
And Leonora is stuck dealing with her dysfunctional parents on her own.The unthinkable happens.Five years later, Leonora’s father flies down to South Africa to bring Ricky home. Something terrible happens. Her dad’s body is found with a fatal gunshot wound. And her brother is nowhere to be found.Now Leonora must find out the truth.Utterly absorbing and beautifully written, this taut psychological thriller will keep you guessing until its chilling conclusion.
Your Life for Mine
Karen Clarke - 2020
A secret that only those closest to her know.Aged seven, she almost drowned on a family holiday… and a stranger died saving her life. Survivors guilt has been the defining characteristic of her life ever since.So, when Beth receives a threatening text message from an anonymous number on the way to her surprise birthday party, she knows her time is up."Enjoy your birthday, Beth. It’ll be your last."As she arrives at her house, there’s only one thing she knows for certain, someone at the party wants her dead.
Bad Little Girl
Frances Vick - 2017
Everyone thinks she’s a nasty piece of work. The schoolchildren call her a thief. But Lorna’s hair is matted, her shoes pinch her feet and school teacher Claire Penny can’t help herself; some kids just need a bit more support, a bit more love, than the rest.As the bond between teacher and pupil grows stronger, Claire sees Lorna’s bruises, and digs to uncover the disturbing tale behind them. Heartbroken, Claire knows she has to act. She must make Lorna safe. Just when Claire thinks she has protected Lorna, a chance encounter brings enigmatic stranger Marianne Cairns into their lives. Marianne seems generous and kind but there is something about her story that doesn’t quite add up. Why does she feel so at home, and why is Lorna suddenly so unsettled?Claire has risked everything to save Lorna. But what can save Claire from the shocking truth?An utterly unputdownable and darkly compelling read that will have fans of The Girl on the Train, The Sister, and Gone Girl absolutely hooked.
Her Sister’s Secret
E.V. Seymour - 2019
The police are certain she purposely caused the crash that killed another but what could have happened for sensible Scarlett to lose control at the wheel?Determined to discover the truth, Molly begins to dig deeper into her sister’s life. With every question she uncovers yet more secrets…all connected to her own family’s past. One of them has something to hide.And then Molly meets Rocco, a stranger with dark secrets of his own. Nothing can prepare her for what comes next…Perhaps the answers she is searching for are more dangerous that she ever imagined…
The Perfect Couple
Jackie Kabler - 2020
Since then, their relationship has been like something out of a dream. But one Friday evening, Gemma returns home to find Danny is nowhere to be seen.After two days with no word from her husband, Gemma turns to the police. She is horrified with what she discovers – a serial killer is on the loose in Bristol. When she sees the photos of the victims she is even more stunned…the victims all look just like Danny.But, the detectives aren’t convinced by Gemma’s story. Why has no one apart from Gemma seen or heard from Danny in weeks? Why is there barely a trace of him in their flat? Is she telling them the truth, or are there more secrets and lies in this marriage than meets the eye?
Deadly Games
Steve Frech - 2020
I know when you get that big promotion, or when you argue with your spouse.But someone knows everything about me too. Someone knows all my secrets and they’re using them against me. They’re setting me up.The police think I murdered Emily Parker. To prove my innocence I need to find the real killer.I need to beat him at his own game.A gripping and twisted thriller for fans of Adrian McKinty’s The Chain and Mark Edwards’ Here to Stay.
Shadow of a Doubt
Michelle Davies - 2020
But she blamed it on a paranormal entity she swears was haunting her house.No one believed her and after two years of treatment in a psychiatric unit for delusional disorder, Cara was shunned by her remaining family and put into foster care.Now she's being forced to return to the family home for the first time since her brother's death, but what if she's about to re-discover the evil that was lurking inside its walls?
Traces of Her
Amanda Brittany - 2019
Rose isn’t surprised anymore when her free-spirited step-sister, Willow, decides to disappear off somewhere without notice. But something feels different this time. When Willow sends her a mysterious package containing photographs of suspects in a cold case she is obsessed with solving, Rose realises she needs to find her sister before things get out of hand.A missing girl. With no sign of Willow to be found, Rose takes up the search for answers about the deaths that shook a small Cornish village eighteen years before. But what is the connection between Willow and the two sisters marked by tragedy?Time is running out. Someone knows where Willow is and what happened all those years ago. And they will do anything to stop the truth from coming out. Can Rose find Willow and the answers she needs, before it’s too late?
The Perfect Daughter
Joseph Souza - 2020
In this riveting new novel, a mother is unwittingly drawn into the dark underbelly of her picture-perfect Maine town . . . Shepherd’s Bay has been home to generations of lobstermen and their families. Lately, affluent newcomers have been buying up waterfront property and mingling uneasily with the locals. Tensions are high, especially since Dakota James, a teenage boy from the wealthier side of town, disappeared weeks ago. But another disturbing incident soon follows. When high school junior Katie Eaves and her friend, Willow Briggs, fail to come home after a night out, Katie’s mother, Isla, is frantic. Two agonizing days go by before Katie is found, bruised and bloodied, yet alive. Isla is grateful. But Willow, a wealthy newcomer from Los Angeles, is still missing. And Katie can’t remember anything about the night of their disappearance. Isla tries to help her daughter sort through her hazy recollections, and to recall the truth of her tangled friendship with privileged, beautiful Willow. At the hair salon she owns, Isla hears dark whispers about wild parties, drug deals, and love triangles gone wrong. How much truth is in the gossip? Is Dakota’s disappearance linked to the others? And what other shocking secrets lie at the heart of Shepherd’s Bay—and of the family Isla is struggling to hold together?
The Leaving Party
Lesley Sanderson - 2020
Thirteen years of dark petals, jagged thorns, dredging up memories I’ve tried to forget… I’ve packed up my life. All my belongings are carefully sealed in labelled boxes, my suitcases ready for my big move. I’m just days away from a new life abroad with my boyfriend, Ben. No one knows the real reason I’m desperate to leave. My best friend, Lena, is throwing me a leaving party. A celebration, to say goodbye. Champagne to toast my farewell. Speeches, full of fond memories. No one knows what I’m running from. Then another black rose appears, dragging up thirteen years of buried memories. My passport goes missing. The very people I am trying to escape from turn up at our house. Someone knows what I did. This party was meant to be the first night of the rest of my life – but now I don’t know if I’ll see tomorrow. Someone knows my secret. They’re in my home, they're at my party, and they’re making me pay for it. Psychological thrillers don’t get more addictive or gasp-worthy than this! Fans of K.L. Slater, The Girl on the Train and The Wife Between Us will love this unputdownable page-turner.
The Silence
Joss Stirling - 2019
The eccentric owner, Bridget, is keen to share her house with like-minded artists so also living there is Jonah – charismatic, volatile and pursuing a career in acting. But his past continues to dog him, both a curse and a blessing as his edgy persona gains traction in the acting world.Jenny is herself battling demons; unable to speak after a catastrophic incident when she was a teenager, she is reliant on strong painkillers to dull the constant pain. Gradually, an insidious addiction takes hold and Jenny’s life spirals out of control. A malevolent energy has gripped the house and Jenny, Jonah and Bridget find themselves battling to save not only their sanity, but also their lives…
No Place Like Home
Lynda Stacey - 2021
They were wrong….He wants revenge…Because someone from the girls’ past has already found their safe house and he is watching and waiting in the shadows ready to make them pay.He won’t stop until you’re dead...Their new home should have been the place the sisters were safe.But no place is safe forever.
The Book of Us
Andrea Michael - 2020
There would be pain enough later.Cass and Loll used to be inseparable. They met at university and they made sense, like two halves of a whole. They had planned their lives around each other, writing down their dreams in The Big Book of Our Life – the things they wanted to achieve, the places they’d go after they finished university. But then one night changed everything.Seven years later, Loll receives a letter from her old friend. The coming year will be the year they both turn 30, but Loll might be making it to 30 alone. Cass has cancer. She wants to know if Loll still has The Big Book as her dying wish is to do everything they had planned. Little does Loll know that there is one big difference: Veronica, Cass’s six-year-old daughter, will be coming with them.Time is ticking for Cass, who is desperate to make lasting memories for her young daughter and ensure that she’s leaving her in good hands. But how do you say goodbye to those you love most in the world?An emotional and uplifting novel of friendship, love and the family you choose. Perfect for fans of Gill Childs, Amanda Prowse and Jojo Moyes.
The Family Friend
C.C. MacDonald - 2021
IT ONLY TAKES ONE TO DESTROY YOU.Erin lives an idyllic life by the seaside with her baby boy and Australian fiancé. She's upbeat and happy - a natural mum.At least that's what her thousands of followers on Instagram think.In reality, Erin is struggling with anxiety and finding it difficult to connect with her screaming son. So, when an agent offers to make her the biggest Instamum out there, she can't refuse.And when Amanda, a family friend who's visiting from Australia, says she'll move in and babysit to help make it happen, it seems like the stars have finally aligned for Erin's exciting new career.But there's something Amanda isn't telling her.Something that will destroy Erin's carefully curated persona online.___________________________
Praise for HAPPY EVER AFTER:
'Kept me gripped and kept me guessing' Erin Kelly, author of He Said/She Said'Excellent domestic noir, chillingly plausible... I loved the ending' Jo Spain, author of The Confession'An absorbing story, a bunch of unexpected twists, great writing. I totally lost myself in this book' John Boyne, author of The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas