My review
Having read other books by this author, this book falls short of my expectations. The story goes thus, Kirstie, a new mother with a 6 month old daughter, hears voices on the baby monitor — Let’s take the child and go.
Thinking it to be someone kidnapping her child, she rushes in and finds her daughter safe. But she is unable to let go of this matter. Cops are called, neighbors are suspected, husband thinks wife has gone mad, Kirstie becomes paranoid, develops OCD, locking the doors and windows all through the book, there is doubt cast on everyone. This happens for nearly 3/4th of the book.
The story picks its pace in the last 1/3rd. There are twists and explanations. Secrets are revealed and the story ends. And then there is the epilogue, which is both too much and too less, and I found it incongruous. It just added to the shock factor without adding anything to the story.
I read the book in a few hours, but was way disappointed. The story lacked pizzazz, all I read was Kirstie feeling scared, anxious, paranoid, sure that her daughter was going to be kidnapped. That went on for quite some chapters. I kept on waiting for things to happen in this book, but nothing really did. I didn’t like any of the characters in the book, and I was shocked that I couldn’t connect with the main character Kirstie.
The author Shalini Boland does have the talent to make us readers feel the emotions. I did feel all what the main character felt, the anxiety, the helplessness, and the paranoia. The haunting and the suspicious aura of the neighbours and the cul-de-sac added to the plot and Kirstie’s doubts. So the settings add flavor to the story.
This is an easy and fast read, the story starts well, falls short in the middle, and the ending is okay. The story is entertaining but definitely not a psychological thriller.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and publisher Bookouture, and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.
My rating : 3.5 stars
About the Author
Shalini Boland lives in Dorset, England, with her husband and two noisy boys. Before kids, she was signed to Universal Music Publishing as a singer/songwriter, but now she spends her days writing suspense thrillers and dark adventures.
Book blurb
Kirstie Rawlings is jolted awake by a child crying. Racing upstairs to check on her new-born, she is plunged into every parents’ worst nightmare. She hears an unknown voice in the baby monitor, saying: ‘Let’s take the child – and go.’
Is someone trying to steal her little girl?
In the bedroom, her daughter is safe asleep in her cot. Is the voice coming from a nearby house? But there aren’t any other children living on her quiet country road. The police don’t believe her. And neither does her husband.
Kirstie knows something isn’t right. She thought she could trust her neighbours, now she isn’t sure. Because someone is hiding a terrible lie. And they will do anything to stop Kirstie uncovering the truth. But is the danger closer to home than she thinks?
Product Details
Publication date : 27th March, 2018
Publisher : Bookouture
Language : English
Available on Amazon
Suspenseful mind games
29 Responses
this is great, interesting and fascinating book to read!!!
It was okay. Her previous book was better
You explained your reservations really well, I totally understand why you gave this rating. I haven’t read anything by this author but I wanted to read the first novel so I’ll still start there 🙂
I am in the minority, everyone has liked it with 5 stars. But I kept on waiting for something to happen which would say psychological thriller and the book got over. But her previous book the secret mother was very good.
Nice review shalini.
Hate it when the book starts out well then just kinda stalls and falls. Too bad.
I know… It was an okay read… I wish it was more exciting… Feeling very sad about it. I love this author
Great review
Thank you
Welcome. how r u mam
Down with tonsillitis last week. Better this week. Will take time to be fully ok.
How are you, sir
i am fine mam, you not take rest and all the time spent in blogging. Plz take rest mam and take care
I am resting but you are right, I am doing other stuff too. So trying to rest in between work
Yes rest is also important for recharge the body and then to work with fresh mind
True
how r u feeling after rest
Better, not getting much time to rest. But still resting between work
Yes if you not take time for rest then you again suffering diseases and then disturb your several days
I understand but what to do. Have to work. There are other responsibilities
Health is wealth
Hahaha but the bills which come don’t know that
Reblogged this on Die Erste Eslarner Zeitung – Aus und über Eslarn, sowie die bayerisch-tschechische Region!.
Thank you Michael
Good premise, too bad it fell short.
For me, it did. Everyone else has enjoyed it, so it is purely me
That’s happened with me sometimes too.
Thank you. It is a lonely road, I wondered why I didn’t like. Went back to read, realised probably I wanted more
Yeah, that’s how I felt about a book that continues to get rave reviews. Oh well. I can’t change my mind about it. I definitely wanted more!!
I totally understand💟💟