A great thriller, but not also that, a story about how far you would go to protect your daughter, or even your mother.

I was hooked within the first two chapters because already there’s action. I loved how it began right away and it didn’t wait till the middle to begin. It’s a great way to hook the readers to the story. Waines doesn’t fail to deliver.

I loved how the mother daughter relationship aspect was linked in this novel. It proves that no matter how close you are, everyone has their secrets. It’s plays such a huge part in the story that when they unravel, you’re just shocked.

The twist was predictable if you’re really good at guessing plot twists but that ending...oof! I did not expect that all. Like I said, secrets are plenty in this one.

I finished it in a day because I just had to keep reading. It’s one of those books where you have to just until you get the ending.

The characters I really liked. Peter the fiancé, Beth the daughter, Rachel the mother. Even Adrian, Rachel’s father. His dementia made the story even more intriguing because of the little hints he would leave and then he would forget what he said. It really just made me want to flip to the last few pages and spoil it for myself. But I didn’t, and I’m glad I didn’t.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Bloodhound Books for giving me an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Love it , loved how the story pulls you in and it keeps your attention though out the story , can't wait to see more by this author,with that said I want to say thinks to Netgalley for giving me a chance at reading and review it in change for my honest opinion as well as finding a new author.

Really enjoyed this - good pace and strong story line. Couldn't put it down and loved how the characters really pulled you in

The blurb caught my eye, and the beginning of the story hooked me in. Rachel, a bartender, hears her daughter Beth struggling with someone in the cellar, and all her motherly instincts flood her body. She rushes to protect her daughter and accidentally kills the man, Carl. Why accidentally, you ask? Well, they were both enacting a sex scene from Basic Instinct.

Then comes the roller-coaster ride of hiding the body, having alibis, coordinating the story, and waiting for the cops. Will they, won't they? Incidentally, Carl is the best man of Peter, Beth's fiancé. What a rush!!! The babe was having an affair with fiancé's best friend.

I loved the way the author A. J. Weines has developed the characters. Would I call them lovable, likable, or even tolerable? Nah!! But they were fascinating, the way the mother hid the body (you've got to read it to believe it), then provided cool alibis, and she thought of practically everything.

Then came the daughter, a very immature girl, who started unraveling right at the beginning at the dual horror. Narrated in both their POV, the book thrilled me, I would call this a wide-eyed thriller, as I was astonished with the aplomb and the audacity, the way circumstances played out!!

Weines had the twists and turns well in place, secrets popped up at inopportune moments, a searching desperate wife, a delirious grandfather added to the aura which spiraled and curved. It even had far reaching characters taking centre-stage. An unexpected letter at the end had the story turn upside down. I was enthralled and invigorated.

This book caught my attention from the first page. The plot switched from the present to the past and I had to keep reading to find out why they reacted they way they did to the initial incident. An enjoyable read.

Rachel is a barmaid and discovers her daughter, Beth pinned beneath a man in the pub’s cellar. She immediately thinks that Beth is being raped and reacts. Unfortunately the poor man hits a barrel and ends up dead. Rachel doesn’t want to report the death to the police because she has secrets of her own that she wants to keep quiet. Beth is supposed to be married in one month and was not exactly being attacked so she has her own secrets. What follows is a back and forth telling between Rachel and Beth as both try to deal with the death and the all of the lies that try to cover each other.

Rachel is a single mother and very protective of Beth. I understand this but she takes it to the extreme and has to be in control of Beth’s life. Beth is trying to find her way in the world and is having a hard time dealing with the death because she knows she should do the right thing and report it but her mother is controlling her. This leads to a lot of guilt and potential trouble as she has a announcement at her hen party.

This story goes round and round as both women has their own issues and the pressure builds to a breaking point. It’s easy to understand why Rachel wants to protect Beth but it gets frustrating the amount of control she has. As the pressure mounts we get closer and closer to finding out what her secret really is. I can understand how Beth is trying to find herself and is easily going to lose it with her own secrets.

This is a great thriller that draws you in and holds you tight as you get closer and closer to finding the truth buried beneath everything. This is one thriller you need to check out.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. I voluntarily chose to read and post an honest review.

This book was okay. The story was different from others, but some parts seemed drawn out. To me it was an okay book. Not bad, not fantastic, was good!

Good plot. Very suspensful. I would read more by this author. I really enjoyed the plot of the book

Well this certainly grabbed my attention from the start, with one of the most horrific scenes a mother could ever come across. Beth was in the cellar, where her mum worked, pinned down by a man with his intentions very obvious. OMG, every primal instinct that had been passed down by my ancestors would kick in to protect my daughter, no matter how old she was and actions would definitely come before any words. Now the bloke was dead and soon to be married daughter Beth tells her it wasn’t as it all seemed. Rachel is determined that this won’t ruin her daughter’s future and so a cover up begins.
To say that I was stunned by Rachel’s reaction afterwards is a gross under statement and I have to say that I took an instant dislike to her. Ok there were times in the story that I felt a little sorry for her but on the whole I found her shallow and controlling. Poor Beth, who to be honest was pretty shell-shocked, at first numbly went along with what Rachel was doing. After all mums should know whats best, right?
The chapters alternate between mother and daughter which I at times read open-mouthed. Rachel certainly has the rose-coloured spectacles on when things start to fall apart, including the sanity of her own daughter. There is far more to all this than meets the eye. What begins as a story centring round only a few characters to begin with gradually expands, but A. J. Waines makes each one very distinctive and were easy to keep fixed in my mind.
This is a truly edgy story where you may not always pick up on things consciously at first but it all sits in your mind niggling away. I loved the build up in the story where each twist could have made it at alternative ending but boy I wasn’t disappointed this author just squeezes every ounce out of giving her readers the whole caboodle. She must be drained because she gave me everything I needed in a super story. Just brilliant!
I wish to thank NetGalley and Bloodhound Books for my e-copy of this book with I have reviewed honestly.

Rachel believes that she is catching a man raping her daughter. She shoves him, he hits his head and dies. Rachel happens to also work in the pub where this occurs. Rachel's daughter, Beth, was actually having an affair with Carl, a married man; Rachael, herself, is engaged to Peter. What to do?
9 months earlier; Beth has always wanted to be an actress and recently completed drama college. At her work, as a gopher, Rachel meets Peter, 12 years older and a celebrity. Somehow, Peter asks Beth on a "posh" date and we all believe that it is "love at first sight"'
This all after Rachel and Beth have buried Carl hush-hush in the cemetery where Rachel gardens.
Two months later, Beth and Peter become engaged. Rachel finally meets, and approves of, Peter at a dinner
after a dance show.
Back to Carl; Beth admits that she "sort of" met Carl prior to their introduction by Peter
eth admits that she "sort of" met Carl prior to her introduction of him by Peter.



Rachel is still grieving over her partner, Russel's, death. Yet he left Rachael and her daughter deep in debt.. Peter has money, fame at his fingertips and this tempts both Rachael and Beth. Strangely, Peter asks Rachel and Beth if they would change their wedding venue to St. Andrews (where Rachael and Beth have Carl buried). It finally is on the news that Carl is missing. Rachel has a secret that may tie in?
Time goes on and a few weeks prior to the wedding, Beth feels that she needs to "own-up". Is this about Carl's death or her feeling for Peter? Beth continues on a downwards spiral of not eating or acting as she had before . Now Rachel is hiding Beth's cell phone, opening her mail and eventually posing as Beth on the phone and internet. Eventually the police find out about one phone call Beth made to Carl. They are curious about the rug (that Rachel and Beth used to transport Carl's body with). Rachel gives them a list of all of the workers that have been in and out of the pub. Things close in on everyone. Tensions are high. Some may feel that Rachel is pitted against Beth. To me, it is just the case of different experiences and personalities. Dazzling
conclusion with awesome twists and turns! Definitely a 5 star rating!!! Thanks, again, to Bloodhound Books and NetGallery for a great read!

4.5 stars.

Will be reading more by this author.
Its was suspenseful, with a great plot. Love the writing style also.

This book is a wonderfully entertaining piece of fiction best described as domestic noir. Responding to a situation which rapidly became out of hand resulting in murder, Rachel takes control and finds herself quickly enmeshed with her daughter Beth in a web of lies, which threatens to spiral out of control.
Written from the points of view of both Rachel and Beth, the story flows seamlessly detailing Beth's uncertainty with the situation they are in, plus Rachel's increasingly controlling and bizarre behaviour to ensure their crime remains undiscovered. The reader is aware from fairly early on that Rachel harbours a secret although it is not until the final pages that the details of this are revealed.
I enjoyed this book in its entirety although the latter part was particularly entertaining culminating in a clever conclusion. At times the story veered towards farcical but this served only to add to the entertainment factor as Rachel took extreme steps to maintain the status quo for herself and her daughter. While not always agreeing with Rachel's actions I understood her motivation and loved her character, resemblant of a lioness doing whatever it takes to protect her daughter and preserve her future via her ambitious marriage.
A very decent read, fast paced and easy to follow, gleeful in its ability to entertain with a clever and satisfying conclusion.

I haven’t read any books by AJ Waines before, so I went into this with a totally blank slate. What a brilliant book! The ease with which Rachel comes up with the idea to cover up the crime makes you wonder what else she is capable of. In fact, it was difficult to say who is more dangerous – the mother who seems to have an almost unhealthy obsession with her daughter’s love life, the daughter who is having an affair with the best man, or the fiancé who is too perfect to be real. If you love twisty, emotional psychological thrillers, don’t miss this one!

Thrillers are my favorite and this one has lots of surprises. This is my first book by A.J. Waines. I was hooked from the very beginning. Beth and her mom have a very interesting relationship and they go to great pains to fool and to safeguard each other The way he author flips back and forth between characters is interesting and fascinating I love the way the author gives the point of view of both the mother and daughter. This is an amazing thriller.

Don’t You Dare is my first read by A.J. Waines. I totally enjoyed this book right from the beginning. Chapter one hooked me right from the get-go…great opening!

The chapters alternate points of view between Rachel the mother and her daughter Beth. These two find themselves having committed a crime and then trying to cover it up. I found it interesting how Rachel and Beth each handle what they have done. The author cleverly shares their thoughts while switching from each of their points of view. They each have their own way of dealing with the burden of guilt and the cover-up…the anxiety involved while they wait to see if the police are going to end up questioning them.

Another part of the story that’s interesting is Rachel’s secret from the past. Throughout the book the author periodically reminds the reader of a past secret and Beth wants to find out from her Grandad but he has dementia and can only share bits and pieces of the mystery at a time. I thought the author did a great job presenting it this way and kept me interested throughout. The buildup at the end of the book was awesome and nicely wrapped up. Overall just a great read. I will be adding this author to my favorites list. Thank you A.J. Waines and Bloodhound Books for providing me with a copy of this book to read.

I love the way that A.J. Waines always manages to hook me into her books right from the outset and Don't You Dare is no exception. Told in alternating chapters by Rachel and Beth and it was fascinating to see how the mother/daughter relationship evolved following the accidental murder. It's clear that Rachel was only trying to protect her daughter but it soon becomes obvious that both women are keeping secrets from each other. Rachel has her reasons for not wanting to involve the police but Beth has no idea why and she is desperate to talk to someone about what's happened but instead, she shuts herself away but that only makes the situation worse as her friends start to become suspicious. Surely a bride to be would be busy making sure things were perfect for her upcoming big day - not shutting herself off from everyone.

Rachel fears that the wedding won't go ahead so she takes matters into her own hands to ensure that Beth's fiance, Peter is oblivious to the whole thing and she goes to some pretty extreme lengths to ensure that Beth's marriage will go ahead as planned so that her daughter doesn't lose all the opportunities that the union will bring.

Don't You Dare is a gripping tale of secrets, lies and deception and reading it was like being shut in a pressure cooker - I could feel the tension building up all around me and I couldn't wait to reach the end so that I knew how this tangled web of lies was going to be concluded. A.J. Waines has once again written a fabulous psychological thriller that is worthy of a place on every fan of this genre's bookshelf or kindle.

When I started reading I was a little put off, because I felt the characters' reactions weren't genuine. I just felt like people wouldn't react that way and thought I'd struggle to connect with them. I was wrong, and so glad I stuck it out. As you get to know them more, you realise why they behaved they way they did, and there's a history of secrets just waiting to come out. I was soon gripped by the book and had to keep on reading.

Twists and turns all the way through, and then just when you think it's drawing to a close there is one last shocker! A must read. Thank you Netgalley.

Adeptly written and addictive, Don’t You Dare is a clever look on the relationship between a mother and her daughter in the wake of a mistaken, and deadly act that binds them together in its secrecy, whilst tearing them apart in its weight.

Rachel and Beth are the kind of characters that you will like and support, whilst at the same time disliking them too. It makes for a great read as you go through the love/hate with them both and any book that emotionally connects you to it in that way is a sure fire winner for me.

Intense and twisty, you won’t see what’s coming and I guarantee you will be more than eager to find out, the deeper you get in, the faster you want to get out because you won’t be able to help yourself.

This is a quick paced thriller that I read over a 24 hour period. You find out from the first couple of pages what the secret between mother and daughter is.. Overall it was a good read, there were some predictable moments but a few surprises at the ending.

Thanks to the publisher/Netgalley for the advanced reader copy

I am a HUGE fan of A.J. Waines' independently published series about clinical psychologist, Dr Samantha Willerby. Huge, I tell you! If you missed them the first time then here are my reviews of Inside the Whispers (book #1) and the more recent Lost in the Lake (book #2). So I was thrilled for A.J. (or Alison) when I heard she had secured a two-book deal with the independent crime fiction publisher, Bloodhound Books. The first book in that deal, Don't You Dare, was published in the UK yesterday so a very happy (belated) book birthday to Alison and the team at Bloodhound Books!

Don't You Dare has an eye-opening and really rather shocking first chapter which draws the reader into the story immediately. From then on in, I was hooked. We meet Rachel, mother to Beth who had her daughter at the tender age of 15. Beth is now in her early twenties and aspires to be an actor. But when Rachel walks into the pub where she works and finds her daughter being brutally attacked in the cellar, her instincts take over and she does everything (and anything) to protect her child. Including accidentally killing a man. Accidents happen though. After all, her daughter was being viciously attacked. Rachel lashed out to save Beth, she pushed the attacker, he fell and hit his head. Anyone would have done the same thing to save their child, right? Wrong, because Rachel convinces Beth that they need to lie about the accident and hide the body. And there the thread starts to unravel, destroying the most precious of relationships; the destruction of a mother and daughter...

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I'm ashamed to admit that I became quite addicted to watching things spiral out of control for Rachel and Beth. At times, I had the same feeling as watching a tense drama on the television (peeking out from behind my hands). I wanted to find out what was going to happen but at the same time, it was tough to watch the devastation one terribly bad decision could wreak on such a strong bond.

I struggled to like Beth. As a twenty-something young woman, she felt quite childish and selfish. It was all about her and her career but I guess many of us acted that way at that age. (To be honest, my early twenties seem so long ago it's hard to remember!) Did I like Rachel? I'm not sure. I did at the start of the book but I think my feelings changed for her as the story progressed. Rachel makes some pretty crazy decisions throughout the story and I can *kind of* understand her reasoning for doing some of the things she does (not hiding a body though, I really can't understand that! ).

There's very little downtime for the reader in Don't You Dare. The plot moves at an addictive pace and keeps the reader hooked, waiting for the next bombshell to hit or the suspense to mount even more. The ending was totally unexpected and did leave me a little baffled. I didn't see it coming (and being me, I was looking for clues). I'm sitting here, writing this review asking myself, 'Really?!'. But I do appear to be the only early reader who has commented on this so I'm putting it down to being 'just me'!

Would I recommend this book? I would. Told in the voices of both Rachel and Beth, Don't You Dare is a very readable, hard to put down psychological thriller. Full of devastating secrets, the reader watches from afar as lives shatter and relationships crumble. I REALLY enjoyed it and can't wait to read the next book (be it a standalone psychological thriller or the next Dr Sam book) from the pen of A.J. Waines.

Four and a half stars out of five.

I chose to read and review an eARC of Don't You Dare. The above review is my own unbiased opinion.