Sixteen years ago Rose's little brother was killed, after that her life changed forever. Now she's a librarian who spends her days looking over her shoulder. She doesn't have much of a life. She's either at the library, her home--a place that keeps herself prisoner, or looking after her elderly neighbor. When her neighbor has to be hospitalized for a few days, she decides to clean his place up. While doing so she comes across something that will put her life into a spin. She starts looking at things a little differently.

The story is told in past and present. The past that happened 16 years ago. A lot happened back then that stayed with her for all these years. I liked getting a glimpse into what happened with Rose and her brother. None of it good. The book was well-written and the whole time I was curious to know all that had happened. I didn't feel that sense of suspense I normally would get while reading a mystery but it was still a good story. I enjoyed how it was told and I find that I would definitely read more by this author.

*Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

‘The Mistake’ I’m reading.

‘The Mistake’ I stayed up all night.

‘The Mistake’ I’ve finished.

‘The Mistake’ Or is it?

The Mistake by K.L. Slater is the fourth psychological thriller following on from Liar, Blink and Safe With Me. From the first page to the very last, whether you read slow and steady or fast and furious, its intense perfection and resistance is futile.

There are many deep scenarios to The Mistake centred around Rose, alternating the storylines between present day and sixteen years ago. Sixteen years ago Rose’s younger brother was murdered and Rose herself became embroiled in a relationship with Gareth, an older man. Each and every step thereafter in Rose’s life she has felt an overwhelming responsibility for the death of her brother even though the man responsible is behind bars………but has it all been a mistake.

The characteristic personality of Rose is full of imperfections and peculiarities. Rose  carries guilt and pain around like security, an armoured shield due to the lose of her brother and the gulf created by his death. I can see all the different personalities in each and every character within The Mistake, each one seems ordinary on the surface but there are secrets which bubble to the surface with devasting consequences.

I was in awe of the creativity in which the book was produced, the writing stood out with flawless and comprehensive scenarios. The Mistake was built layer by layer, young teenage romance, murder, secrets and lies and above all the hunt for justice. It was like a giant jigsaw puzzle, piece by piece slotted together, secrets were spilled, lies exposed, but there were always parts that didn’t fit, the red herrings, dead ends, pushing me to think again.

I can only describe The Mistake as the ultimate, intense psychological thriller which will have you mesmerized from the word go to the jaw dropping conclusion. Thank you to Bookouture, K.L. Slater and NetGalley for an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

With certain authors, you know when you pick up one of their books you are going to be taken on a cracking journey, that the book is going to capture your attention and not really want to let you go. For me, K.L Slater is one of those authors and her latest novel, The Mistake, one of those books. I had every intention of reading this over a couple of evenings. I have been very busy at work of late and somewhat tired as a result. And there was no rush. Or so I thought. Wrong… so so wrong. Because as soon as I started reading this I was hooked. I couldn’t stop reading. It wasn’t a simple case of one more page it was one more book. No way this book was going anywhere until I was done.

Rose is a the very epitome of the mild mannered librarian. You know from the very beginning that something bad has happened in her life, something beyond the tragic death of her younger brother for which she feels ultimately responsible. Something which has made her nervous and overly suspicious of people around her. She struggles with anxiety and has a very small world in which she safely exists. Part of that world, her precious library, is under threat, something which only adds to her feeling of unease. But when she discovers something unexpected in the home of her neighbour and close family friend, her whole past is thrown into doubt and everything she thought she knew is now in question.

From the start of the book I was invested in Rose. I wanted to know more about her, to find out what it was that had made her so scared. It had to be more than the death of young Billy, as tragic as that was, and there were certainly hints dropped throughout of there being more to the situation than we knew. As the story developed it became clear where the tale was leading, but this didn’t stop if being compelling and if anything made me more determined to read on, willing Rose to open her eyes to the danger she was in. It was obvious to everyone else but her, especially the reader, but this just added an element of authenticity to the story.

As for Billy’s tragic story, it is clear from the outset what has happened, and that the suspect in his death is a man, someone Billy and the family both know. What follows is a gradual uncovering of suspects, any one of which could have reason to have hurt him, be it maliciously or otherwise. Everyone, from Rose and Billy’s father, to Rose’s boyfriend Gareth, even their next door neighbour, could be suspected of hurting Billy, but do they have the motive or the opportunity?

This is a difficult story to tell, one of domestic violence and control. KL Slater carefully explores the subject of emotional control and manipulation, making Rose a very sympathetic subject. Yes she is young and naive, but it is not simply this which makes her a suitable target. However, the big mistake she makes as a teenager has such far reaching repercussions for all of them that nobody could have foreseen at the start. None of it is played for shock factor, the reader being kept somewhat sheltered from some of the more unpleasant parts of the story. But you are still drawn in, still emotionally manipulated just as Rose was, being taken from shocked to angry to frustrated in the blink of an eye.

And how do I describe Gareth? Well, think of every depiction of a emotional abuser and you have this man right there. Charming when needed, he slowly isolates Rose from her family and friends until the point that emotional control is no longer enough. As a reader I just wanted to scream at my kindle, so frustrated by how blind Rose was to the truth. But then this is how someone like Gareth gains and maintains the control. They say that if something seems to good to be true, it probably is. That… That right there. That is this man, a loathsome character who from the very off makes the skin begin to crawl, he is so well written. Urgh. The thought of him still makes me shudder. Slime. Total and utter slime.

Did I have an inkling of what the absolute truth of this story would be? I’d be lying if I said that I was completely blindsided. That doesn’t mean that I didn’t enjoy the journey that the author takes us on as I really and truly did. And the ending… It is a two fold thing with Rose seeing complete resolution to all of the questions she has left to answer about Billy, as well as closure on a very traumatic part of her past. They say revenge is a dish best served cold. And boy was it. That part really did make me smile

Equal parts chilling, compelling and moving, I loved this book.

EXCERPT: 'Billy, come out. Please. ..you're scaring me now.'

It was true. Her heart was banging against her chest wall like a tin drum and her mouth and throat were dry with fear.

For five full, long minutes she walked up and down the long road, stepping into the bushes wherever there was a gap, searching everywhere for her brother.

But Billy was nowhere to be found.'

THE BLURB: You think you know the truth about the people you love.

But one discovery can change everything…

Eight-year-old Billy goes missing one day, out flying his kite with his sister Rose. Two days later, he is found dead.

Sixteen years on, Rose still blames herself for Billy’s death. How could she have failed to protect her little brother?

Rose has never fully recovered from the trauma, and one of the few people she trusts is her neighbour Ronnie, who she has known all her life. But one day Ronnie falls ill, and Rose goes next door to help him… and what she finds in his attic room turns her world upside down.

Rose thought she knew the truth about what happened to Billy. She thought she knew her neighbour. Now the only thing she knows is that she is in danger…

MY THOUGHTS: There were things I liked about this book, and things I didn't. I will start with the negatives so that I can end on a good note.

Poor Rose was traumatized by everything that had happened. I was going to list all these things, but it would give away too much of the story. But personally, I found it all just a little too much, too overdone. It was bland and clichéd, and I failed to pick up any sense of suspense.

There was a lot of dialogue in this book, much of which didn't add any value. There were a few loose ends, unresolved that I, personally, would have liked to have seen explained. For one, the deaths of her parents. The fact that they are dead is mentioned several times. So that I began to think that it must be important in some way, to the story. But, nothing. Grace is only 34. Her parents were not old. What are the chances that both parents would be dead of natural causes? And the threatened closure of the library where Rose worked....a lot was made of this issue, but we never learn the outcome. It is probably not important, but damn it, I WANT TO KNOW! Up until the end, it was all pretty predictable.

Now, let's get to the good stuff - the end was superb. There is no doubt that Slater is a very clever writer. I have read all four of her books. Safe With Me and Liar were 5-star reads. Blink, 3-star. The Mistake 3.5-star, upgraded because of the ending, of which I am not going to speak again for fear of giving something away.

One more little niggle- authors, publishers, whoever is responsible, STOP putting things on the cover like 'an unputdownable psychological thriller with a brilliant twist'. I don't want to be looking for the twist. I want it to jump up and slap me in the face and go 'There! You weren't expecting that, were you!' I know I am not the only one who feels like this.

Thank you to Bookouture via Netgalley for providing a digital copy of The Mistake by K. L. Slater for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the 'about' page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system. This review and others are also published on my blog sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

I love this type of book, the one where the mystery aspect of the plot isn't really the focal point, but the tension, thrills, and chills are what takes the front seat! This was actually my first read by Slater; I've been meaning to pick up her books for the past year but my schedule hadn't allowed me to participate in the blog tours until now. I had every confidence that I would enjoy this book, as I enjoy all of the books I receive from Bookouture, but this one exceeded my expectations! Sometimes you pick up a book and all you really want is for it to be enjoyable, and enjoyable this was, but it was enjoyable due to the fact it was engaging, thrilling, and exciting.

I'll admit, I almost didn't pick this up due to the fact that the premise of the story is based on the body of a young boy, Rose's brother, being found. I've had a hard time reading books relating to violence of children these days with two young children at home, but this one was relatively easy to stomach and the focus is more on the revealing of what really was the cause behind Billy's disappearance than focusing on the graphic details of his death. The characters were well done and Rose was a flawed, sometimes unlikable character, which was a nice touch being able to witness her awkward quirks and brokenness in the aftermath of a tragic childhood experience.

If you enjoy a fast paced plot with exciting twists and turns, you should definitely check out The Mistake. I can see now why people have been raving about Slater's books; they have a classic feel while adding a twist of her own that really drew me in! I'm not sure which of her books I should go back and start with first; any suggestions from fellow fans? Regardless, I don't think I can go wrong and look forward to immersing myself in more of her glorious stories!

Sixteen years ago, Rose’s eight-year-old brother Billy went missing. His body was found two days later. After all this time, Rose still blames herself for his death and her failure to protect him. Someone was ultimately convicted of Billy’s murder but was it the right person? Rose thought she knew the truth but when she finds something in her neighbour’s house, doubts creep in and her world is turned upside down once again.

As always, there’s something quite delightful about never knowing who to believe or trust. I had an inkling about what had happened to Billy sixteen years ago but when things were finally revealed, they still felt like a royal punch to the stomach.

I felt for Rose immensely. One mistake at a young age had such devastating consequences. She desperately tries to cope and deal with loss, grief and guilt in any way she can in a world that has made her so unbelievably scared. And yet, she somehow digs deep and finds the determination to finally know the truth about her brother’s death. Even if it means facing her worst nightmare.

Chapters switch between the present and the past, giving the reader an excellent and quite heartbreaking background story on why Rose is who she is as the author explores the effects of a controlling relationship. I found those particular chapters quite hard to read at times, especially as we were dealing with a rather naive and innocent eighteen year old who didn’t know any better.

While I felt The Mistake started off a tad slowly at first, the relatively short chapters made me flip the pages so quickly, I soon found myself utterly engrossed and the level of suspense made it unable for me to put this book down. Just like in her previous books, the author sure knows how to hook a reader from the very first page and keep them gripped as the tension and the pace builds up.

K.L. Slater has been on my list of must-read authors since Safe With Me and firmly remains there as she once again delivers an excellent psychological thriller with complicated characters and a compelling plot. I look forward to whatever she comes up with next.

You will not make a Mistake if you pick up The Mistake by KL Slater. I have read a few books by this author and I am never disappointed and this book is no different. Thank you Netgalley the publisher and author for my advanced copy below is my honest review.
The Mistake is masterfully written it centered around Rose, an older sister who is distraught over the disappearance and later death of her brother Billy, and the woman who is still dealing with it sixteen years later. I loved that this was written between two time periods Rose Present day and Sixteen Years ago.
The story was fast paced which made it easy to read, I strangely connected with Rose I felt horrible that she got stuck falling in love with such a complete jerk for a first love. Gareth
Is everything Momma warns you about and more. He is convicted for the murder of Billy and while Rose relives her turmoil we the readers feel bad for her because he shows glimpses of romance while exercising his control. Rose’s life unravels as a teen and again as an adult but I promise you this is so worth reading until the very last page.

I received an ARC from NetGalley to read and review. The below is my honest, unbiased opinion. Thank you, KL Slater, the publisher, and NetGalley, for allowing me to review.

You think you know the truth about the people you love. But one discovery can change everything… Eight-year-old Billy goes missing one day, out flying his kite with his sister Rose. Two days later, he is found dead. Sixteen years on, Rose still blames herself for Billy’s death. How could she have failed to protect her little brother? Rose has never fully recovered from the trauma, and one of the few people she trusts is her neighbour Ronnie, who she has known all her life. But one day Ronnie falls ill, and Rose goes next door to help him… and what she finds in his attic room turns her world upside down. Rose thought she knew the truth about what happened to Billy. She thought she knew her neighbour. Now the only thing she knows is that she is in danger…

THE MISTAKE is a psychological thriller that's told by Rose and in alternating timelines: the first is current time and the second is 16 years ago when her brother disappeared. I quite enjoy books told in dual timelines, and I found this book easy to follow. I loved that Rose's character was still so flawed. Too often we read of devastating circumstances that the main character has recovered from; rarely do we see such a realistic portrayal of the damage done. Overall, this was a fast-paced, exciting read, and I definitely recommend it.

This was a nicely done thriller!

It's a little bit heartbreaking and very disturbing as we learn exactly what happened to Billy and why.

I liked Rose and I felt for her, both as an adult and as a teen. What horrendous burdens she carried!

While not quite as twisty as some books, the 'who' in our 'who-dunnit' shocked me. It wasn't a cheat - the author laid out the groundwork. I just completely missed it.

This is a very good read!

I have loved all of the books I have read to date by this author so I was starting out with very high expectations and boy she met them alright!! I am a massive fan of her writing style and it was perfect again with this new release.

I loved this book, I loved the pace, the characters were brilliant and the story was superb - she is definitely one of my favourite writers for books of this genre and I do love a good psychological thriller!!  Plenty of twists and turns and a few surprises, I was GRIPPED until the end and read it in a few hours - I really did not want to put it down at all!!

Really cannot recommend the book highly enough - no hesitation in giving it 5 stars and looking forward already to the next one!!!

Sixteen years ago Rose’s eight year old brother Billy went missing and after two days of the town searching his body was unfortunately found. Rose has never gotten over the loss of her brother, she loved him with all her heart and blamed herself for not protecting Billy that day he disappeared. Now she forces herself through the motions of living her life each day but her heart still aches for Billy.

Back when Billy was found all the signs in the investigation pointed to one man as Billy’s murderer. That man was Rose’s boyfriend at the time of the disappearance and he has spent the last sixteen years behind bars for the crime. However, when Rose checks in on her elderly neighbor and finds he needs to go to the hospital she decides to help him out by cleaning his home where Rose runs into something that makes her wonder if the police captured the right man all those years ago.

The Mistake by K.L. Slater is a psychological thriller that is told by alternating the story between Rose in the current time and telling what happened sixteen years before when her brother had disappeared. The alternating timelines was extremely easy to follow along with in this book being clearly marked as to which you are reading. Being the second book I’ve read by K.L. Slater I was expecting the writing to be good in this one and was happy to see when I was correct.

The one thing that brought this one down a bit for me as a reader was I had a bit of trouble connecting with Rose as a character. She’s definitely one that you would call flawed as she battles daily still torn with what happened in the past but when flashing back I would have expected a happier more appealing side of her but she still seemed very timid and awkward even then. Even without connecting very well to her though I still found this a solid read and enjoyed the story held within but in the end I’d probably rate this one at 3.5 stars since my disconnect with Rose didn’t have me quite as hooked into this one as I would have liked.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

A twisted psychological tale working in two time periods. Sympathetic main character who struggles to cope with life.

Over the past year or so I’ve become a HUGE fan of Slater, she writes dark, twisty tales with complicated but realistic characters in frightening situations that make them SUCH addictive reads. I’ve said it before, but her books really should come with a warning label so you know that once you start one you will not be able to put it down until you’ve discovered the truth.

This is told from Rose’s point of view in the present day and sixteen years prior. Her little brother Billy, was murdered and her life was forever and irrevocably changed. The details of his death aren’t totally revealed until close to the end, but there is so much more explored throughout than Billy’s death alone. Rose in only eighteen in the flashbacks and she begins dating an older man named Gareth and is totally besotted. By the time she realizes he’s a controlling manipulator he has already begun grooming her and dictating her entire life. I felt so much sympathy for this sweet young woman, and though she has healed in some ways, sixteen years on and she still has many issues. When she discovers something shocking from the past in her neighbor Ronnie’s attic she begins to doubt everything she thought she knew and everyone she thought she knew and could trust.

Slater’s signature style of injecting a heavy sense of dread and uneasiness is back again and she leads the reader down a tangled path of lies and misdirection that will leave your head spinning. The plot is strong and very well developed and the ending was a surprise, she sure knows how to end things on a killer twist. If you like psychological thrillers and haven’t read Slater yet you MUST, she’s a fantastic author!

A very cleverly written psycological thriller. Friendships, family and a disappearing young boy. The story is narrated in current time with a mentally fragile Rose and 16 years ago when she had a great friend, a little brother and a new boyfriend. A disturbing story is slowly unravelled and the big question of whether justice was really done. I was impressed with the way KL Slater draws out the characters dark side and who to trust. A very satisfying ending.

Sixteen years ago, Rose's eight year old brother Billy, went missing. His body was found and Rose has been full of guilt ever since as she was supposed to be watching him. This trauma has had a big impact on her life as her ex boyfriend was jailed for the murder. But the finding of her brother's missng blanket throws this conviction into doubt. This book is then full of so many twists and turns and suspense it leaves you wondering what will happen next. Another brilliant read from K L Slater, can't wait for the next one. Thanks to Net Galley and Bookouture for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book.

This is the story about Rose, about events that happened 16 years earlier and how she relates to those events now. I must say that the one character in the story is really not likable but I can understand how Rose liked him when she first met him 16 years ago. Rose has a lot of issues that she has to work through in the story. I good read that I enjoyed as I read it in one day.
Thank you to Bookouture via Netgalley for the copy.

I have read previous titles by K. L Slater that I really enjoyed. Needless to say, I was elated to I find out that the author had written a new book.

The Mistake by K. L Slater is narrated through two timelines through Rose’s POV. In one of the timelines, we go back sixteen years to a time when her life drastically changed. In the second timeline,readers get to catch up with Rose in the present. In the sixteen years period, She has changed a lot. However, the past still haunts her.

Sixteen years ago, her kid brother, Billy, went missing before his body was later discovered. I was curious to know what happened back then. The past narrations were addictive and so tense. They began before Billy’s disappearance and so we get to see the tension build up. Knowing that something bad will happen to Billy filled me with apprehension. I needed to know the why, when and how. In the present narrations, the secrets from the past emerge as the truth is revealed.

The characters in this book had such strong personalities. The author crafted them in such a way that they get into your mind and occupy your thoughts even when you are not reading the book. I liked some of them like Cassie. I was torn about Rose. I loved Billy and really disliked some of the other characters. This book elicited different emotions hence making me more invested in the unfolding drama.

The Mistake by K. L Slater is a fast-paced, addictive read. I was surprised by some of the themes that came up especially in the past narration. However, they were masterfully tackled and helped in making this book as suspenseful as it was. I couldn’t have predicted the final twist. I thought I had figured out the direction that the story was taking but I was pleasantly surprised by how wrong I was. This book Is the perfect whodunit. If you enjoy psychological thrillers then you should definitely check out K.L Slater books.

This book alternates between present day and sixteen years ago when Rose's little brother Billy was killed. They convicted the man Rose was dating with the crime.... a man who physically and emotionally abused Rose, and threatened everyone she loved if she ever told anyone or tried to leave him. Now, 16 years into the future, Rose is still barely hanging on to her sanity and she discovers Billy's blanket, an item that was misisng when his body was discovered. The question she must come to terms with asking: did he really kill Billy after all?
This book is a very gripping psychological thriller with a surprise ending. Very enjoyable!

Wow what a brilliant read!
This book kept me gripped throughout and I flew through it, desperate to know what was going to happen next.
I really felt for Rose as she'd been through so much and have to say another character made my blood boil!! (Can't say who as I don't want to spoil it!)
I would highly recommend this book.
Thanks to NetGalley and Bookouture for sending me an advance copy to read and review.

This review is written with thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for my copy of The Mistake.
Sixteen years ago, Rose's eight year old brother, Billy, was killed. Ever since, Rose has blamed herself, as the man convicted of his murder was her ex-boyfriend, Gareth Farnham. But when Rose's neighbour, Ronnie, falls ill, she decides to tidy his flat for him, and discovers a vital piece of evidence that makes her question everyone around her, and everything she thought she knew about Billy's death. What happened to Billy all those years ago?
The narrative of The Mistake takes place over two different time frames: sixteen years ago and the present day. This helped me to see how the events of the past are still affecting Rose in the present. Although I found it difficult to connect with Rose as an adult - she is quite isolated and guarded around others - I found Rose as a teenager much easier to relate to, and her relationship with Gareth was fascinating. This aspect of the novel is the psychological thriller genre at its finest. Slater has captured the behaviour and characteristics of an abusive partner so well that I felt manipulated by Gareth, despite knowing full well that he was a fictional character. This allowed me to become fully engaged in Rose's story and I wanted to know what had happened to Billy.
There is a twist at the end of The Mistake, which did come as a surprise to me. However, I felt that the twist was revealed a little too quickly, and this made the novel lack some tension as the novel reached its conclusion.